Ridiculous Marvel TV Series You Didn't Know Existed (Lucky You)
Turns out Wesley Snipes’ Blade wasn’t the only adaptation.
If you're a fan of Marvel movies, you probably know about the Blade trilogy starring Wesley Snipes. What you also may know is that the MCU will soon have their own Blade, portrayed by Mahershala Ali. The movie is expected to be released on February 14, 2025.
However, what you might have missed is that there was a Marvel TV series about Blade, released in 2006.
Before 2008, when Iron Man was released, there was no MCU, and Marvel movies were all separate and had nothing to do with each other.
With 1998's Blade, Marvel started to gain some traction in the movie industry. Blade, a vampire hunter, wasn't the most well-known character, but his movies were a step in the right direction for Marvel.
Blade had a sequel in 2002 that was even better than the first one. It seemed like Marvel was on their way to creating a successful franchise. But then came Blade: Trinity in 2004, which disappointed fans and killed any hopes of a successful series.
Luckily or not, in 2006, Marvel got another chance with Blade: The Series. The show aired on the Spike network, which was known for its action-packed programming. The series had the backing of Marvel Entertainment and New Line, and even had Geoff Johns from the comic-book company helping out with the script.
When Blade: The Series premiered, it drew over 2 million viewers, despite being released in the summer. The two-episode pilot was a confident debut that didn't require much prior knowledge of the comics or movies.
Sticky Fingaz (Kirk Jones) took on the role of Blade and delivered a solid performance. Unfortunately, Blade: The Series only lasted for one season, consisting of thirteen episodes.
Blade: The Series didn't quite hit the mark with viewers. Its ratings were on a steady decline throughout its run. The series didn’t age well and it looks somewhat cheap these days (maybe it did even back then).
But anyway, if you're a Marvel fan looking for something new to watch and if you can’t wait for the new Blade movie to arrive, give Blade: The Series a try.