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Wesley Snipes Mentions Another Hoover Film, 'Blade' and More

by Ethan Anderton
October 22, 2010

Though he's currently dealing with legal troubles with the IRS that could garner a 3-year stint in prison, Wesley Snipes is still looking to get some new projects off the ground. Recently the actor/producer told Deadline about his development of a period drama entitled Code Name Zorro. The story centers J. Edgar Hoover's campaign to discredit Martin Luther King by way of the titular operation which covertly attempted to subvert King’s influence over the civil rights movement by tarnishing his reputation. There's more on this project, Snipes' comments on continuing Blade, and a few details on a new family time travel film below.

For Code Name Zorro, Snipes has been working with MLK's son to gather information about how the iconic civil rights activist was treated by Hoover and his FBI. The project, scripted by Justin Stamm, has the full endorsement of King's family and Snipes says it's "an important project that has my focus." Speaking of focus, though the film's catalyst is Hoover's fear and attempted smearing of MLK, apparently the film will actually follow the final moments in the life of former assistant FBI director William Sullivan, who headed Code Name Zorro and found himself wiretapping King’s phones, and orchestrating such dirty tricks as giving King's wife audiotapes of the civil rights leader's conversations with other women. Sullivan wrote to Hoover after the famous "I have a dream" speech, ""We must mark [King] now, if we have not done so before, as the most dangerous Negro of the future in this nation." Pretty intense stuff, right?

However, Deadline is quick to point out the plethora of MLK centric projects developing in the industry right now. Lee Daniels is still working on Selma, Steven Spielberg has a biopic in the works with full support from the estate, and Oprah Winfrey and HBO are developing a 7-hour miniseries based on Taylor Branch's book series chronicling America's history during King's life. In addition, Clint Eastwood is working on his own J. Edgar Hoover biopic which may overlap some of the same material, even if the focus seems to be on Hoover's balance of work and his supposed secret homosexual romance. Fortunately, if the market gets too crowded, this isn't the only project Snipes is producing.

Today, Variety reported his Maandi Media Entertainment banner is now producing Chronicles of the Mayan Tunnel, an $80 million 3D family action-adventure project based on an unpublished book by Raul Julia-Levy, son of the late actor Raul Julia. The story follows four youngsters sent back in time 1,500 years to the height of the Mayan Empire and Julia-Levy will feature in the film as Yum Kax, a Mayan god of justice. Our heroes have to face-off with the war god Ah Puch, a role reserved for Snipes if his legal entanglements get cleared up in time.

As for going back to hunting vampires, Snipes is a little perturbed about recent rumors suggesting other actors like Idris Elba might be up for a new take on Blade. Snipes says, "Maybe we get around to doing another Blade, except, from what I’m reading, every other actor is talking about playing him, and nobody is talking to Wesley. How strange that they don’t come and talk to me about it.” It's not really that strange considering what we've heard about his behavior on the set of the Marvel comics franchise, but I digress. Personally, I'd rather see Snipes pursue these new projects and continue finding others instead of returning to Blade. How about you?

Find more posts: Casting, Movie News, Opinions

23 Comments

NO. SNIPES IS BLADE!

Bobby on Oct 22, 2010

Wesley Snipes is BLADE PERIOD!!! No one else should even be considered for that role! I love the Code Name Zorro story, sounds like a great film project!

jah p on Oct 22, 2010

I'd watch Snipes in a new Blade. the Martin Luther King film sounds great too, weird that a man focused on unification could be seen as a threat. No profit in peace I guess.

Crapola on Oct 22, 2010

I thought Snipes already served his sentence? He can do another Blade while doing an MLK film.

Xexex on Oct 22, 2010

Snipes IS Blade... Nuff Said. Peep Rage against the Machine's "Wake up." (the end credits song of the 1st matrix). Almost speaks to the Zorro Project exactly.

Solo Calrissian on Oct 22, 2010

As I've said before, he should have listened to me and not tried to fight the IRS after they discovered his attempt to get out of paying taxes. When you're caught that's it. Don't dig the hole deeper. He may still think he and "G Money" are running the projects. For an excellent way to handle your IRS situations visit the Killer IRS CPA at http://www.taxproblem.org.

Joe Mastriano, CPA on Oct 22, 2010

Seriously check this out... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wake_Up_(Rage_Against_the_Machine_song)

Solo Calrissian on Oct 22, 2010

SNiPes is BLADE FOREVER

blake on Oct 22, 2010

Watch Blade 1 again and ask yourselves if anyone can come CLOSE to what he achieved in that film. HH

Have Hope on Oct 22, 2010

snipes once a great actor now makes mostly crap and the blade movies are pretty bad and silly a good laugh atleast always thought they were made as parodies

loser on Oct 23, 2010

Remember the blade series utter crap with another blade and blade 3 was utter crap cause they put snipes in the backround and try 2 focus on that bird fom heaven 7 and green lan boy.

ste on Oct 23, 2010

Snipes says, "Maybe we get around to doing another Blade, except, from what I’m reading, every other actor is talking about playing him, and nobody is talking to Wesley.” Talks about himself in the third person. Idiot.

gonnarentit on Oct 23, 2010

I agree Snipes is Blade, and that the Series on Spike reeked, however there is another generation that would most likely embrace a new actor as Blade, as long as he separated his performance from Snipes. That was the biggest problem i had with the series. Kirk 'Sticky Fingaz' Jones was trying to emulates Snipes' Blade, not make the character his own, plus the guy just can't act imo.

Mayhem on Oct 23, 2010

Have Micheal Jai White be blade, hes just as skilled if not better , screw wesley snipes , hes not a team player and pretty much burned his bridges with Goyer .

o Toxin o on Oct 23, 2010

Personally, I don't see Elba in BLADE or LUKE CAGE on account of his deal with Marvel/Disney where he will be seen next summer in THOR and additional films attached to that contract --- whether it be THOR sequels, other Marvel properties in a cross-appearence, THE AVENGERS or all the above. Not to say I don't want or can't see him in either of the aforemenitoned roles; he certainly can pull-off BLADE on looks alone and I'm equally convinced he would do well as Luke Cage. But with Marvel's attempt to keep their inter-twining universe in continuity with the individual properties (IRON MAN, THOR, CAPTAIN AMERICA, THE AVENGERS, etc.) on a collective level, I just don't see them using Elba in any other capacity for the fear of confussion on the common/general movie-goers' parts.

MedicalMogul333 on Oct 23, 2010

I can't see anyone other than Wesley playing Blade. However, I thought the last Blade outing buried the franchise. It stunk like a sitcom that introduces characters in hopes of a spin-off.

IC> on Oct 24, 2010

Need Snipes as Blade. Movie akin to Blade 2 but with no damn love story arc. No stupid talentless sidekicks. Decent director please, no chance of getting Del Toro but someone with that eye for detail would be great! 🙂

Adam on Oct 25, 2010

Wes is the man, I can't imagine anybody else as Blade. Yeah do other things but leave Blade alone!!

Telly on Oct 25, 2010

Wesley is unique anyone has his talent! Wesley, our hero you are just a love and an angel. I pray for you and I LOVE you Wesley!!!

Rose on Oct 25, 2010

'Snipes, once a great actor...' When?

Carlos on Dec 11, 2010

I am a big fond of Snipes although i have been hearing he got some kind of attitude issues on the movies sets, i would love to see him reprising the role again as Blade.

Fisherr on Dec 26, 2010

Idris is not Wesley and he will never be Wesley. There is only one BLADE and that's Wesley Snipes. Keep ya head Wesley.

SUPERBITCH on Dec 31, 2010

Im a huge Blade fan,& a huge Snipes fan! Thats ridiculous to even consider someone else as Blade the movie would bomb! Oh yeah does anyone remember they tried using someone else in the series,we all know how that went! Plus Snipes is highly trained in martial arts he just looks natural,he made the character what it is!

Aaron_howard69 on Jul 25, 2011

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