Marvel‘s upcoming Blade reboot has added Delroy Lindo to its cast, Disney has confirmed.

Production on the highly-anticipated film, which will be directed by Bassam Tariq and see Mahershala Ali take on the titular role in place of Wesley Snipes, was originally scheduled to begin this September but has now been pushed back to July 2022.

As Deadline reports, Lindo will star opposite Ali in the new film, though the exact nature and identity of his role is as yet unconfirmed.

First announced by Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige at the 2019 San Diego Comic-Con, Blade will see Ali follow in the footsteps of Snipes, who starred as Blade in the original trilogy of vampire hunter movies between 1998 and 2004.

Upon the announcement of Ali’s casting in the new version of Blade, Wesley Snipes tweeted for upset fans to “chillaaxx” about Ali’s casting, before sharing further thoughts on the news.

“I’m happy for him to be considered. I’m happy for them looking at him. Flattery… what do they say? Imitation is the best form of flattery,” Snipes said. “I’m appreciative of getting the love, and [that] I’ve created something that others want to carry on and maybe put their own stamp on it.”

Lindo and John West Jr – who will play DEE – are the only actors to be cast in the project since Ali’s casting was confirmed in 2019. A release date for the film has yet to be confirmed.

Earlier this year, Snipes announced that he is making a “Blade-killer” movie to rival Marvel’s upcoming reboot.

“It’s what we call our Blade-killer, our Blade on steroids,” Snipes said, meaning that it will outdo Marvel’s new film. “And we set our character in the world of shape-shifters and a little bit of time travel. But the action is going to be…Well, we did white belt action in Blade. Now we’re going to do black belt action.”