Although X-Men and Spider-Man are widely credited with starting the modern comic-book movie boom in 2000 and 2002, respectively, there’s an argument to be made that it was actually the original Blade movie in 1998 that got the ball rolling. Superhero movie fans don’t know how good they have it now because there was a time when Marvel couldn’t get a decent movie out of any of its franchises. Case in point: The Punisher movie starring Dolph Lundgren and the infamous Howard the Duck.
Blade was a game-changer in that it took a little-known Marvel anti-hero, placed Wesley Snipes in the title role and delivered a fun action flick. Stephen Norrington helmed the first film, and Guillermo del Toro stepped in to direct the sequel, Blade II, which was an even bigger success.
Blade: Trinity (2004) Official Trailer – Wesley Snipes, Ryan Reynolds Movie HD
That brings us to the final Blade movie, Blade: Trinity. This film was a case where almost everything that could go wrong did. Blade: Trinity made slightly more money than the first film with $132 million, but it also had a higher budget — $65 million — and it made such a mess of the franchise that there were no more theatrical sequels.
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This wasn’t the outcome that anyone involved with the film wanted. So where did Blade: Trinity go wrong? There’s plenty of blame to go around for this one.
The problems start at the top
David S. Goyer wrote the first two Blade movies, and he was given the chance to helm Blade: Trinity after German director Oliver Hirschbiegel passed on the project to make Downfall, a German World War II movie that’s been endlessly meme-ed because of its Hitler rant scene. There should probably be one of those Hitler rant memes for Blade: Trinity because Goyer turned out to be the wrong choice to follow two experienced directors on the franchise. This was only Goyer’s second film as a director, and it shows. The sense of excitement from Norrington and del Toro’s movies is missing, and it lacks a human touch as well.
While speaking with The Hollywood Reporter in 2021, Goyer said, “I don’t think anyone involved in that film had a good experience on that film, certainly I didn’t. I don’t think anybody involved with that film is happy with the results. It was a very tortured production.”
It couldn’t have helped that one of the biggest problems Goyer had on the set was with his leading man, Snipes.
Call me Blade
In 2012, Patton Oswalt shared some wild stories from his time on Blade: Trinity during an interview with The AV Club. Of particular interest for this retrospective is Oswalt’s account of the breakdown in relations between Goyer and Snipes. Oswalt claims that at one point, Snipes actually tried to strangle Goyer over one of their disagreements.
Patton Oswalt: Wesley Snipes Went Crazy On The Set Of “Blade: Trinity”
The actor went on to say that Snipes was increasingly withdrawn, and he only came out of his trailer to shoot close-ups. Oswalt also said that Snipes stopped speaking to Goyer and only communicated through Post-it notes that he signed as Blade.
Snipes categorically denied Oswalt’s account in a separate THR interview. However, Goyer hasn’t refuted Oswalt’s story and said that he still counts the actor among his friends. He also noted that his friendship with Snipes ended during this troubled production.
Blade: Trinity sidelines its title character
One of the gripes that Snipes has shared about Blade: Trinity is that the film shuffles his character to the side in favor of elevating the Nightstalkers as equal co-stars with an eye toward giving them their own spinoff movie. Snipes isn’t wrong about that. The movie loses its focus quickly by killing off Kris Kristofferson’s Abraham Whistler in the first act — after the second film went through the trouble of resurrecting him and restoring him as Blade’s partner and mentor.
To replace Whistler, the film introduced an original heroine, Abigail Whistler (Jessica Biel), who is kind of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer of this movie. She’s also a character who doesn’t have much to do, nor does she possess a very engaging personality. Abigail was one half of the Nightstalkers, and the other half was Hannibal King, as played by future Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds.
Deadpool 1.0
Former vampire Hannibal King is not an invention of this movie, and he really was a co-founder of the Nightstalkers with Blade — alongside another character named Frank Drake — in the comics. However, King’s portrayal in this movie is pretty far from his dour character in the source material.
Blade: Trinity | Ryan Reynolds As Hannibal King | Warner Bros. Entertainment
Instead, Reynolds slips into his usual comedic persona and gives King the same quippy nature that made Deadpool so successful. There’s a time and a place for comedy in these films, and Reynolds’ sense of humor overpowered what little drama this movie had.
Dominic Purcell’s Dracula lacks bite
Prison Break‘s Dominic Purcell was wildly miscast as Dracula in Blade: Trinity. And for some reason, the film insists on calling him “Drake.” Blade has a long history with Dracula in the comics, and it was inevitable that they would cross paths in a movie. But this version of Dracula just doesn’t capture the final boss energy that the king of the vampires is supposed to have.
Paul “Triple H” Levesque — a former wrestler turned WWE executive — has a small supporting role in this film as another enemy vampire, Jarko Grimwood. And if you’ve ever wondered why Triple H’s Hollywood career didn’t take off like Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s did, look no further than this movie. Jarko is played for laughs, but his material isn’t that funny, and Triple H just doesn’t have the charisma to pull off the role. The only villain in this film who feels remotely threatening is Parker Posey’s Danica Talos.
Blade: The Series
Because Blade: Trinity performed so poorly, there were no sequels after this one. However, two years later, Goyer developed Blade: The Series for Spike TV, with Kirk “Sticky Fingaz” Jones taking over the title role from Snipes. The series does act as a follow-up to Blade: Trinity and it gives Blade a new ongoing threat in the form of the vampires from the House of Chthon.
One of the more intriguing aspects of the show was the way it introduced Krista Starr (Jill Wagner), a recently turned vampire who acts as Blade’s informant within the House of Chthon. Krista was transformed into a vampire against her will, but she eventually develops some feelings for the vamp who made her, Marcus van Sciver (Neil Jackson). That complicates her loyalty to Blade.
Blade: The Series (2006) – Opening credits
The show ended its first season without fully resolving that subplot, and the series’ cancellation means that it didn’t get a proper conclusion. With no other Blade projects on the horizon, the rights reverted to Marvel in 2012.
“There’s only ever gonna be one Blade!”
If you watched Deadpool & Wolverine in a theater this summer, then you probably know that one of the biggest audience applause moments came when Wesley Snipes came out for an extended cameo as Blade. Snipes and Reynolds even jokingly refer to their formerly tense relationship on-screen, but the actors must have reconciled in the intervening years in order to reunite for this film.
It’s also ironic that Snipes’ brief return to the role came as Marvel continues to struggle with its Blade reboot. Mahershala Ali has been attached to star in Marvel Studios’ Blade since 2019, but the project has suffered several delays and setbacks before it was recently taken off the release schedule. Maybe Snipes’ quote from Deadpool & Wolverine was right after all: “There’s been only one Blade! There’s only ever gonna be one Blade!”
Watch Blade: Trinity on Pluto TV.
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Blair Marnell has been an entertainment journalist for over 15 years. His bylines have appeared in Wizard Magazine, Geek…
3 great BritBox shows you should watch in February 2025
In spite of the wealth of new TV shows that are produced in America every year, it can sometimes seem like all we’re really doing is rehashing old formulas and conventions. If you’ve ever found yourself fed up with the options you’re getting, BritBox is a wonderful alternative.
The streaming service contains plenty of movies and TV shows from the U.K., which does TV differently and better than we do in the States. We’ve pulled together three shows that are the perfect ways to start on BritBox, a few of which aired recently.
We also have guides to the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Max, and the best movies on Disney+. For more BritBox content, try BritBox unveils 2025 slate.
Peep Show (2003-2016)
The Funniest Moments | Big Suze | Peep Show
One of the funniest shows to ever air on any TV network anywhere, Peep Show follows two roommates living in London who find that, in spite of their differences, they’re both struggling with their move into the adult world.
Anchored by David Mitchell and Robert Webb, who were also the show’s primary writers, Peep Show is in some ways a conventional sitcom and, in some ways, more experimental than you might be expecting. What we can basically guarantee, though, is that Peep Show is as funny as the best American sitcoms you’ve ever sat down to enjoy.
You can watch Peep Show on BritBox.
Joan (2024)
Joan | Trailer | Series Premiere on The CW
Starring Sophie Turner as a young woman who decides to reinvent her life after her criminal husband goes on the run, Joan is frothy fun anchored by smart, carefully calibrated central performances.
As Joan transforms herself into a master jewel thief, even as she remains devoted to her six-year-old son, she comes to understand that her past won’t be left behind quite so easily. Few shows have been able to effectively capitalize on Turner’s cool appeal the way Joan does, but thankfully, this miniseries finally gave her a proper showcase.
You can watch Joan on BritBox.
Killing Eve (2018-2022)
Killing Eve: Series 2 | OFFICIAL TRAILER – BBC
Telling the story of a sociopathic killer and the MI5 officer who winds up making it her life’s mission to track her down, Killing Eve is, in its own twisted way, a love story. The series is anchored by two brilliant performances from Jodie Comer and Sandra Oh.
Although none of the subsequent seasons could live up to the first; the show remained an above-average drama throughout its run. If you just want to watch the first season, though, you’ll find that the show is stylish, riveting, and smart and that there’s a reason Comer became a star.
You can watch Killing Eve on BritBox.
UCLA vs. USC: How to watch, results, and highlights
Women’s basketball hits Hollywood for another edition of the Crosstown Rivalry. No. 1 UCLA heads to No. 6 USC on Thursday night in a pivotal Big Ten matchup. UCLA enters the game with a perfect 23-0 record, while USC boasts a 21-2 record. This marks the first of two meetings between the Los Angeles schools, with the second matchup coming next month.
National Player of the Year candidates lead both teams — Lauren Betts anchors the Bruins, while JuJu Watkins leads the Trojans. At 6’7″, Betts is the most dominant center in the sport and leads the Bruins in points (19.6), rebounds (9.7), and blocks (2.9). For the Trojans, it’s the “JuJu Show.” Watkins is arguably the most dynamic player in women’s college basketball. Watkins comes into the game averaging 23.9 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 3.5 assists.
The winner of Thursday’s game moves into first place in the Big Ten. Find out how to watch the game below. For more basketball coverage, check out our NCAA women’s basketball March to the Madness guide.
UCLA vs. USC: How to watch
Tip-off between the Bruins and Trojans is scheduled for 10 p.m. ET on Thursday, February 13, 2025. The game will be played at USC’s home court at the Galen Center. The live broadcast will stream on Peacock. With Peacock, customers can choose between two paid plans: Premium and Premium Plus. Premium costs $8 per month and Premium Plus costs $14 per month. Peacock is the home of Big Ten basketball and will stream the first round of the conference tournament.
Ben Affleck and Jon Bernthal team up to solve a murder in The Accountant 2 trailer
Ben Affleck is back as the autistic accountant who launders money for villainous criminals in The Accountant 2.
In the official trailer, Christian Wolff (Affleck) continues to live a secluded life off the grid, working for some of the world’s most nefarious figures. Suddenly, Ray King (J.K. Simmons), Wolff’s former acquaintance, is murdered in cold blood. Before he dies, King writes, “Find the accountant,” on his arm. This leads Christian to U.S. Treasury Deputy Director Marybeth Medina (Cynthia Addai-Robinson), who needs The Accountant’s help to solve Ray’s murder.
In need of some help, Christian calls his brother Brax (Jon Bernthal) to work the case with him. The newly formed trio uncovers a deadly conspiracy that puts them in the crosshairs of a network of killers. To survive, the brotherly duo must rely on their combat skills to take down the criminal enterprise.
Daniella Pineda and Allison Robertson round out the cast.
