[8][9] In 2015, New Line Cinema producers were in talks to have Snipes reprise the role in a crossover with the Underworld film series, but ultimately the concept never came to fruition.

The character Blade made his first appearance as a supporting character in The Tomb of Dracula #10 (July 1973), written by Marv Wolfman with art by Gene Colan, his first solo story coming in the black-and-white horror-comics magazine Vampire Tales #8 (December 1974), and his first solo series (in color), Blade the Vampire Hunter, being published from July 1994 to April 1995 across ten issues, written by Ian Edginton and Terry Kavanagh, with art by Doug Wheatley.

Marvel Studios then started to develop the film in early as 1992, when rapper/actor LL Cool J was interested in playing the lead role.

[15] While the role of Afari was redeveloped as Abraham Whistler, portrayed by white actor Kris Kristofferson,[17][18] New Line head Mike DeLuca then suggested Denzel Washington, Wesley Snipes, and Laurence Fishburne for the role of Blade; of these three, only Snipes was seriously considered, and had the film's finalized script sent to, as opposed to Washington or Fishburne, who were sent earlier drafts.

[21] As created by Marv Wolfman and Gene Colan in 1973, the original comic book version of Blade used teakwood knives and was much more the everyman in his behavior and attitude, wearing red/green clothing and sporting a short afro-style haircut.

Although cunning and brave, he displayed flaws as well, such as an inability to get along with certain other supporting cast members and a hatred of vampires that bordered on fanaticism.

[22] Prior to the film's development, Wolfman and Colan had partially revamped the comics character in 1991 with a dark leather jacket, short hair, and more violent tendencies.

[23] The 1998 film updated the leather jacket into a body-length coat and added sunglasses, a new haircut, and an enhanced dhampir powerset.

He's incredibly focused, but he's also very cool and fun", and Guillermo del Toro saying that "Wesley knows Blade better than David Goyer, better than me, better than anyone else involved in the franchise, [that he] instinctively knows what the character would and wouldn't do, and every time he twists something around, something better would come out".

[29] Snipes denied that version of events and said having been promoted to the role of executive producer on the film, he had the authority to make decisions but that some people had difficulty accepting that.

[21][31] In October 2016, Underworld film series star Kate Beckinsale confirmed that a crossover film between Underworld and Blade had been discussed as a sequel to Blade: Trinity, with both her and Snipes returning, but was declined because Marvel Studios had plans to introduce the character into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

[39] Marvel Comics writer Daniel Kibblesmith confirmed that his one-shot comic book The Darkhold: Blade #1 (released in October 2021), illustrated by Federico Sabbatini, Rico Renzi, and Clayton Cowles, follows Snipes' version of the character; presented as a vision given to the Blade of Earth-616 by the titular Darkhold, the narrative follows Snipes' Blade after an alternate ending to the first film where he fails to stop Deacon Frost from using La Magra to make vampires the dominant species on Earth.

Thirteen years later, Brooks lives on the streets and preys on other homeless people to fulfill his need for human blood.

Brooks takes Jenson to a safe house where she is treated by Whistler, who explains that they have been waging a secret war against vampires using weapons based on their weaknesses.

Brooks is subdued and taken to the Temple of Eternal Night where Frost plans to drain him of his blood to summon La Magra, an ancient vampire god.

As Frost completes the ritual and obtains the powers of La Magra, Brooks confronts him after killing all of his minions, including his own mother.

Jenson offers to help Brooks cure himself at the cost of his abilities; instead, he asks her to create an improved version of the serum, so he can continue his crusade against vampires.

Two years later, Brooks searches Prague for Whistler, having discovered that he survived his suicide attempt, turned into a vampire, and has been held prisoner by former followers of Frost.

Rescuing Whistler and curing him using a long and arduous method of blood transference, Brooks introduces him to Scud, his new technician.

The Reaper's leader, Jared Nomak, arrives and holds Nyssa hostage, before attempting to recruit Brooks to his cause citing their mutual hatred of vampires.

In addition to being equipped by the Nightstalkers with their newly-innovative UV "Sun dog" ammunition, Brooks learns that they have created an experimental bioweapon known as Daystar, capable of killing vampires at the genetic level and that they believe if they can infect Drake, the virus will kill him and ensure the rest of the species is wiped out, including Brooks.

Brooks deactivates the farm's life support systems and executes the familiar who had been rounding up homeless humans for vampire consumption.

[43] Returning to the Nightstalkers' hideout, Abigail and Brooks find everyone dead except for King and a young girl, Zoe, both of whom have been taken captive by Danica's forces.

After arriving to Danica's base and freeing them, Brooks enters into combat with Drake; losing, he prepares to kill him with his own sword.

After Abigail fires an arrow containing the Daystar virus at him, Drake catches it and drops it to the floor by Brooks, not realizing the danger it poses to him.

They send him to the Void, a wasteland inhabited by a monster called Alioth, which consumes everything in its path, as well as the ruthless Cassandra Nova.

Their team also included Frank Castle / The Punisher, Peter Maximoff / Quicksilver, Matt Murdock / Daredevil and Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto, but all four died fighting Nova.

Forced to accommodate Krista's need for revenge, Blade also continues to keep his own bloodsucking tendencies in check through daily injections of a new special serum, seeking to counteract the damage left by Drake.

Snipes' Blade has also appeared in three segments of the parody series Robot Chicken, voiced by Jordan Peele.