Mahershala Ali’s New Movie From Blade Director Is Getting Perfect Reviews

For years, fans hoped to see Mahershala Ali on the big screen as Blade in the MCU. That dream has finally ended with the actor closing the door on the project for good earlier this year, but there is a silver lining. Ali has teamed up with director Bassim Tariq, Blade‘s former director, for a new movie called Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother. Reviews have just dropped ahead of its Sept. 25 release, and they’re glowing.

Across 17 initial reviews, Rotten Tomatoes has Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother sitting at a perfect 100%. It’s not just certified fresh, it’s a certified masterpiece. The film follows Ali as a religiously devout hitman who fights his way across Houston to protect his children following the death of his wife. The action is especially impressive and reflects Ali’s preparation for Blade. Ali is joined by a cast that includes John Cho, Giancarlo Esposito, and Tramell Tillman, among others.

Praise is universally given to Ali’s performance and the overall aesthetic of the film. Zachary Lee at TheWrap wrote that “what Ali, Tariq and the collaborators have assembled feels not just like kismet but divinely ordained, as if this was the movie they were always meant to make.” While Ali and Tariq’s Blade will always remain a “what if?“, audiences will be happy that something as good as Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother came out of it.

What happened to Marvel’s Blade movie?

Photo: Amazon MGM Studios

Blade was first announced in 2019 with Ali attached to star. Tariq was brought on as director in 2021 and later left in 2023 following numerous delays. A new director was eventually hired but left in 2024 due to even more production setbacks. At one point, the film was reported to be a prohibition-era piece. Ruth E. Carter was attached as costume designer at one point but eventually left to work on Sinners, which features a similar premise.

Marvel eventually stopped giving real updates on the project and it seemed in limbo. Marvel’s Kevin Feige said earlier this year that he felt like a “failure” for not getting the movie off the ground, which many took as confirmation that the film had been canceled. This was confirmed by Ali soon after, who said that if Marvel ever does make Blade it won’t be with him. Ali’s only appearance in the MCU was in a voice-only performance at the end of The Eternals.