Mahershala Ali Discusses Faith and Marvels Stalled Blade Reboot

Actor Mahershala Ali is examining faith, morality and the challenges of portraying complicated characters through his latest film, Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother, while the stalled Marvel Studios Blade reboot remains an unresolved chapter in his career. In interviews with NPR and CBC, the two-time Academy Award winner discussed his spiritual outlook, his character's struggle with loss and the difficulties surrounding the superhero project.

Ali, who won Academy Awards for Moonlight and Green Book, plays Latif, a devout Muslim father with a violent past. The film follows Latif after his wife's death as he attempts to abandon his criminal life while searching for breast milk for his infant daughter.

CBC reported that Ali once considered becoming a preacher before pursuing acting. He now sees his work as a way to communicate values and advocate for humanity through the characters he portrays.

"I feel like I'm the most spiritual or religious…when I'm working. I think that there's something in the choices that we make in this work — that is its own form of preaching. You can speak to and advocate for humanity through your choices as an actor." Ali said.

Ali described Latif as a genuine believer whose faith becomes complicated by the sudden loss of his wife. The character's grief raises difficult questions about the relationship between religious conviction, anger and suffering.

"I felt like he was definitely a believer. And as a result, though, I think it informs his disappointment in some ways." Ali said.

He elaborated on how the character's bereavement affects his relationship with God and intensifies his emotional struggle.

"I think he was a strong believer, but I feel like that loss [of his wife] comes as such a shock. The ground beneath him sort of disappears. And as a result, I think he has a lot of tough questions for God.

There's a lot of anger and resentment." Ali said.

The actor also addressed the moral conflict at the center of Latif's violent past. His character's actions reflect an attempt to protect others while navigating a world shaped by criminal activity.

"He has to meet violence with violence in order to create some sort of aspect of peace for people." Ali said.

Ali explained that this tension informs his understanding of the character's decisions throughout the story.

"And so, that’s essentially how I kind of view it and look at it." Ali said.

Beyond his latest film, Ali's involvement in Marvel Studios' Blade reboot has drawn attention after the project stalled following years of development. CNN reported that Ali moved on from the role after previously preparing for the character and undergoing training for production.

Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige acknowledged the difficulties surrounding the project and expressed disappointment that the film had not progressed as intended.

"I am feeling like a gigantic loser and failure that we didn’t get off the ground with Mahershala." Kevin Feige, Marvel Studios president, said.

Feige also defended Marvel's commitment to representing different communities in its storytelling, addressing broader questions about the company's approach to diversity.

"Marvel represents the world outside your window." Feige said.

He maintained that the studio's commitment to inclusive storytelling predated recent political debates over diversity, equity and inclusion.

"I’ve always said it, before DEI and woke became a thing and after DEI and woke became a thing — are we after? I don’t think so." Feige said.

Questions about Marvel's handling of projects featuring Black protagonists have extended beyond Blade to include Wonder Man and Armor Wars. CNN reported that some fans have expressed concern about the development and treatment of these projects.

Actor Don Cheadle questioned the status of Armor Wars during a 2024 appearance on the Today show.

"What’s Armor Wars?" Don Cheadle said during a 2024 Today show appearance.

Writer Waldron also criticized what he viewed as a lack of confidence or understanding in handling characters of color.

"I think that the people that have the most control over what they want to put out are either afraid and/or they do not know how to handle characters of color." Waldron said.

Fan Kira Brown expressed disappointment over the cancellation of Wonder Man, citing the opportunity to explore the personal experiences of a Black protagonist. Her criticism focused on the perceived limits of how Marvel presents Black stories and characters.

"Here’s a Black face on the screen. Here’s kind of a Black story, and we’ll sprinkle some Wakandans in it too, just to spice things up for you." Brown said.

Brown also argued that Marvel's storytelling should address racial discrimination more fully rather than introducing such experiences without exploring their broader implications.

"You can’t just have Sam walk into this bank and get denied and not be brave enough to have fuller conversations about that." Brown said.