Want to know who Delroy Lindo’s mystery character will be in Blade? He’s likely playing an obscure character straight from the Bronze Age.

The Blade reboot may be in limbo at the moment, but make no mistake, it’s going to happen. After losing director Bassam Tariq, the word on the internet is that the entire script is being overhauled. That doesn’t sound promising, but Marvel appears to have big plans for the Daywalker. After all, that film is so important to The Multiverse Saga that instead of simply moving just the Blade release date, several movies were pushed back on the timeline. 

Considering Blade is a vampire hunter, how would his movie be so important to the MCU? It will likely introduce some important characters to the cinematic universe, quite possibly his newly-invented daughter from the comics, Bloodline. She will be played by…Delroy Lindo. While that would be weirdly entertaining, I’ve got a more obscure prediction for Lindo’s MCU debut: Dominic Fortune.

WAIT. WHO?

For the past year, the rumor has been that Lindo will play the mentor to Mahershala Ali’s Blade, possibly as either Whistler or Jamal Afari. However, Fortune may be the more logical choice.

In 2015, he came very close to making his grand entrance in the MCU as a main character in an unaired pilot for Marvel’s Most Wanted. Lindo was cast as Dominic in the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. spinoff, and there’s nothing that says he can’t appear in the role at some point. For that matter, he could be game for Secret Invasion

Originally sporting purple pirate boots, a black jumpsuit, and a short-sleeve yellow onesie that looks like it would ride in the crotch, Dominic is a fashion statement waiting to happen.

The basic story is that Dominic, whose real name is Duvid Fortunov, is an old freelance adventurer whose history has been retconned to include many of Marvel’s heavy hitters, including Captain America and the Avengers. With Lindo having already been cast in the role before, it stands to reason that 

THE BIGGER PICTURE

There are a couple of reasons to keep an eye on this truly obscure character. For one, he is tied to the Punisher in his early appearances, which I will explain in a moment. The other variable is Dominic’s status as a hero for hire. 

Clearly, the most famous of Marvel’s heroes for hire are Luke Cage and Iron Fist. There have been rumors of them being paired together in the MCU for years, dating back to their respective series on Netflix. With Daredevil being worked back into the live-action mix, it opens the door for the aforementioned Heroes for Hire. That could lead to other such characters, including Dominic Fortune. 

Of all the characters to choose, why would Marvel Studios be the slightest bit interested in Dominic as a hero for hire? Practically no one knows his name. That’s precisely the point. Kevin Feige and company adore obscure characters because they have more creative freedom in that arena. They don’t get much more obscure than Dominic. That’s why you should keep an eye on these key issues.

THE SCORPION #1

Created by the first Star Wars artist, Howard Chaykin, Dominic first appeared in this 1975 Atlas Comic. Only, he showed up as Scorpion before moving to Marvel and changing his name. The title didn’t last long, and it’s since fallen into obscurity. However, that could be changing, at least among collectors.

MARVEL PREVIEW #2

It’s this particular issue that gives me the sneaky feeling that Dominic could find his way into the MCU. There are many rumors that Jon Bernthal is returning as Frank Castle in the MCU. With Dominic’s connection to the Punisher, these two characters could be linked on the screen.

Up to now, Marvel Preview #2 has been famous for its Punisher story. In this issue, Marvel revealed Frank’s full origin and debuted his deceased wife, Maria Castle. However, it also featured Dominic’s first appearance for Marvel Comics. It was here that he dropped “Scorpion” and began his adventurer career as Dominic Fortune.

MAKING A FORTUNE

There’s real potential here. Lindo could still be in the mix to bring Dominic to the MCU via Blade, and that could have implications for Secret Invasion and possibly Armor Wars. For that matter, he could be featured in flashbacks or upcoming movies and series that take place in the past. While you may not have heard of Dominic Fortune before now, there’s a good chance his name will be much more famous in the future.

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*Any perceived investment advice is that of the freelance blogger and does not represent advice on behalf of GoCollect.