Forget Blade, Marvel Already Proved Midnight Sons Is Better For the MCU

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The upcoming Blade movie has faced a lot of challenges, even before its release. Originally planned for November 2023, the film starring Mahershala Ali has been repeatedly delayed. Disney hasn’t announced a new release date, leaving fans unsure if the movie will ever come out. However, if Blade doesn’t find its place in the main Marvel Cinematic Universe, there’s another superhero team that would be a great fit for the character.

To understand why the Midnight Sons function as a team, despite their unusual members, it’s helpful to look at their beginnings in Marvel comics and how they’ve already appeared in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The team first came together in the early 1990s during a crossover event called “Rise of the Midnight Sons,” which featured Ghost Rider, Morbius, and the Nightstalkers. In this initial gathering of supernatural heroes, characters like Danny Ketch, Michael Morbius, Blade, Hannibal King, Frank Drake, and the Darkhold Redeemers united to battle Lillith, a powerful supernatural queen, and her offspring, the Lillin. They assembled to fight against these forces of darkness when Lillith returned to Earth.

Surprisingly, this initial team became a huge success for Marvel in the 1990s, often outselling even the popular X-Men. The characters were visually appealing, but it was the complex conflicts – both within the team and with external threats – that really drew readers in. Unlike the generally harmonious Avengers and Fantastic Four, the Midnight Sons were constantly at odds. The Nightstalkers – Blade, Frank Drake, and Hannibal King – aimed to destroy all supernatural creatures, even those on their own team. This created a tense atmosphere where heroes like Ghost Rider and Morbius constantly had to be wary of attacks from their supposed allies. Although popular at first, the Midnight Sons evolved over time with new versions and heroes joining the group.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Midnight

Although the full Midnight Sons team hasn’t appeared in the Marvel Cinematic Universe yet, we’ve seen enough characters to suggest it’s possible. Blade has already appeared briefly in The Eternals and played a major part in the Marvel Zombies animated series, where he even took on the role of Moon Knight. While it’s unlikely Mahershala Ali’s Blade will become a white-suited hero, Marvel Zombies showed us how he might function as part of a team. Fortunately, other members of the Midnight Sons have also made appearances, bringing the supernatural team closer to reality.

Dr. Strange has joined and left the Avengers a few times, and even though he’s currently a member, he should still be able to manage both roles, especially considering he hasn’t been with the team consistently in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Two powerful creatures from the MCU, Jack Russell and Man-Thing, have connections to the comic book team known as the Midnight Sons, and they recently appeared in the Disney+ special, Werewolf By Night. Plus, two other characters are almost guaranteed to join the team in the future.

Introducing Mahershala Ali’s Blade and potentially Ghost Rider through a team-up before their solo films could be a smart move for the MCU. Both characters already have established fan bases thanks to previous movies starring Wesley Snipes and Nicolas Cage, which gives Marvel a head start. Building a team, like the supernatural group known as the Midnight Sons, would be a great way to introduce these heroes and pave the way for a new wave of supernatural characters. If Blade does debut as part of a team, it’s an ideal way to begin his journey in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

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2026-01-11 21:40