Mahershala Ali’s Blade Replacement Is ‘John Wick Meets Liam Neeson’s Taken’

Mahershala Ali‘s Blade movie will probably never happen, but his upcoming action movie seems like the perfect replacement. A closer look at the movie’s premise and trailer also suggest that it is the perfect combination of John Wick and Taken‘s best story elements. With so much going in the film’s favor, it already seems like a promising addition to the action thriller genre.

For a long time, the new Blade movie in the MCU came off as one of the most anticipated superhero movies of the decade. With a talented powerhouse like Mahershala Ali as its lead, it was hard not to believe that the new Blade had the potential to be as good (if not better) as the Wesley Snipes movies. Unfortunately, the new Blade remained in development hell and is seemingly not happening anymore.

While it is unfortunate that we will not get to see Mahershala Ali as the new Blade, he will be seen in a similar role in the upcoming movie, Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother. With Bassam Tariq at its helm, the movie seems to have all the ingredients that have made other action franchises like John Wick and Liam Neeson’s Taken so successful.

Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother Combines The World Of John Wick With A Father’s Story

Image via Amazon MGM Studios

As Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother‘s premise reveals, it focuses on a religious hit man who struggles to balance his professional life with his duties as a family man. However, his life takes a dark turn when his wife passes away, and he is forced to embark on a violent journey to protect his kids.

The character’s history as a hitman and the plot’s focus on his wife’s demise seems reminiscent of John Wick’s journey.

The deeply personal stakes in the movie’s story, where the character must race against time to save his children, gives it a more Taken-esque edge, reminding one of how Liam Neeson remains relentless in his pursuit of anyone who threatens his family.

With ingredients from both John Wick and Taken, Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother comes off as a gritty revenge thriller driven by a desperate, time-sensitive rescue mission.

Interestingly, Mahershala Ali’s character’s weapon of choice in the movie is a sword. While the movie seems significantly different in tone from Blade and far more realistic than most superhero flicks, the emphasis on the “Blade” used by the main character can hardly be ignored.

It may not be an intentional reference to Mahershala Ali’s long-delayed Blade project, but it suggests that Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother could prove to be the MCU movie’s worthy replacement.

Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother Is Still Putting A Fresh Spin On The Action Thriller

Image via Amazon MGM Studios

From a narrative standpoint, Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother is seemingly riffing on some familiar tropes of the genre. However, its trailer and premise also suggest that it will have a more religious angle. There seems to be an emphasis on how the movie’s main character is a devoutly religious man, which will seemingly impact his moral code as he sets out to rescue his children from dark forces.

While Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother may not be the first film to pull off something like this, its willingness to intertwine themes of faith, family, and brutal action could help it carve out a distinct identity. After the John Wick movies’ success, many action thrillers have attempted to emulate its formula and deliver something similar. Most have failed because they struggled to stand out.

Fortunately, for Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother, it already seems different from most regular fare of action thrillers out there. With a talented lead like Mahershala Ali, its odds of succeeding seem even higher. It may not be the next John Wick, Taken, or even Blade, but it has the potential to set the stage for another major action franchise.