Anika Begay
The big picture
- Wesley Snipes returns as Blade in
Deadpool and Wolverine
but before then, he reprised his role as a vampire in
What we do in the shadows
. -
What we do in the shadows
frequently references the Blade films through cameos and character mentions. - Snipes’ appearance in
What we do in the shadows
set the stage for his humorous cameo in
Deadpool and Wolverine
.
Furthermore My name is Ryan Reynolds. AND Hugh Jackman resuming their respective titular roles, Deadpool and Wolverine features several more actors returning to play past Marvel characters, both from within the Marvel Cinematic Universe and beyond, with many of these performers doing so after breaks of a decade or more from their roles. One such Marvel veteran is Wesley Snipewho reprises his most iconic role as vampire hunter Eric Brooks/Blade, with whom he previously directed a trilogy of films starting in 1998. But although Deadpool and Wolverine marks the first time Snipes has officially played the character since 2004 Blade: Trinity (which also starred Reynolds in a different role), made a notably highly meta appearance, directly referencing Blade in a TV comedy outside of the Marvel multiverse. During the first season of FX What we do in the shadows, Snipes played a fictionalized version of himself which incorporated aspects of Blade’s character.
Wesley Snipes mocks Blade in “What We Do in the Shadows”
Based on the film of the same name, What we do in the shadows is a mockumentary series that chronicles the misadventures of a group of comically friendly vampire roommates living in Staten Island. In Season 1, Episode 7, titled “The Trial,” the three main vampires, Nandor the Relentless (Dr. Kayvan Novak), Laszlo Cravensworth (Matt Berry), and Nadja of Antipaxos (Natasia Demetriou) are accused by the Vampire Council of having killed Baron Afanas (Doug Jones), the leader of their local contingent. In addition to the creator of the series Jemaine Clement and executive producer and director Taika Waititiwho reprise their respective roles as the film’s New Zealand vampire duo, The Council includes various actors, including Tilda Swinton, Evan Rachel Wood, Paul Reubens and Danny Trejo, among others, who have played vampires in other well-known mediaas caricatures of themselves who just so happen to also be vampires off-screen. The episode also mentions other vampire actors, including Tom’s Cruise, actressAND Robert Pattinson — who are part of the Council but were unable or unwilling to participate.
Snipes, who, like the other actors on the Council, is referred to by his real name, joins the proceedings via Skype. Most of the other members of the Council cannot stand him and question his inclusion, noting with disdain that he is a “Daywalker” and a vampire killer, just like Bladealthough Swinton ultimately argues that he should be allowed to attend since he is half-vampire, with Trejo noting that he will only hear half of her opinion. Snipes’ internet connection is also poor, causing delays in his ability to hear information presented at the trial, which exacerbates tensions between him and the others.
While testifying as a witness, Nandor’s human servant (known as a familiar), Guillermo (Harvey Guillen), admits to accidentally killing the Baron by exposing him to sunlight. Although Guillermo is telling the truth (as far as he knows, as in a later season the Baron is revealed to have survived), the Council does not believe him, but plans to kill and feast on him anyway. Nandor then falsely confesses that he, Nadja, and Laszlo killed the Baron to protect Guillermo. The three are condemned to be killed by sunlight but are saved by Guillermo and their other roommate, energy vampire Colin Robinson (Proksch marks), who was included in the Council as a local representative.
“What We Do in the Shadows” often references the Blade films
Although the most notable, Snipes’ cameo isn’t the only reference to Blade in the What we do in the shadows franchising. In the film, Waititi’s character Viago objects to one of his roommates dressing up as Blade for Halloween, saying that dressing up as the vampire hunter would be offensive. In the TV series, Nadja is shown to be a particularly avid fan of the films.
In the third season, the main group of vampires also encounters Donald Loguethe actor who played Frost’s henchman, Quinn, in Lama. Like the Council members, Logue plays a fictionalized version of himself, explaining that he chose to become a vampire after enjoying the lifestyle while filming the first Blade movie. Nadja is thrilled to meet him, making several references to her role as Quinn. Later, as she plans to open her own vampire nightclub in season 4, she insists on installing blood sprinklers on the ceiling so that patrons can be doused in blood, like those attending a vampire rave in LamaThe famous opening sequence is.
“What We Do in the Shadows” preceded “Deadpool and Wolverine: The Humorous Version of Blade”
As short as it is, Snipes’ What we do in the shadows the appearance is an important precursor to his full return as Blade in Deadpool and WolverineHis part in the Council sequence demonstrated that Snipes is willing and able to effectively poke fun at both his main character and, to some extent, himself, and Deadpool and Wolverine builds on this by engaging Snipes in a more self-aware humor. After meeting Wade and Logan, Snipes’ Blade quickly tells the former, “I don’t like you,” to which Wade replies, “I never did,” in a direct reference to the infamous tension between Snipes and Reynolds during the production of Blade: Trinity.
Later, after Wade makes one of his fourth-wall-breaking jokes about how many actors have played the Marvel anti-hero Punisher, Snipes’ Blade remarks, “There’s only one Blade. There will only ever be one Blade,” after which Wade looks directly at the camera. Marvel fans have interpreted this line as having multiple meanings. The uniqueness that Snipes’ Blade is so sure of is not accurate, as the rapper Sticky fingers played the role in a short-lived live-action television series and Mahershala Ali gave him his voice in a cameo in the MCU film Eternalssetting up her role in the franchise as another variation of the character. But given the lack of public awareness of the series and the ongoing difficulties in producing the Ali reboot film, it seems that Snipes’ version will remain the most important iteration of the character for a while longer, if not indefinitely, so his boast may have been somewhat justified.
The last season of What we do in the shadows debuts October 21 on FX.
Lama is available for streaming on Prime Video.
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