Back in August, auteur Ridley Scott confirmed he was involved in Alcon Entertainment and Warner Bros’ ‘continuation’ of the Blade Runner franchise, a project he would help co-write and direct but details were rather scarce and we didn’t know whether the plan was to sequelize or prequelize his 1982 sci-fi classic.
Thanks to a new Wall Street Journal interview, we now know the new Blade Runner movie will infact be a sequel and Scott has confirmed that work is “quite a long way in, actually… I think im close to finding a writer that might be able to help me deliver”. From the sounds of things, this could well end up being his next movie after he is finished with his Alien prequel Prometheus that opens next June.
For those who have never seen Blade Runner (all four of you), it told the story of Deckard, a blade runner who is assigned the joyous task of hunting down and blowing holes in a group of roque androids known as Replicants. Based on Phillip K. Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep’, Blade Runner has become a cult hit since its 1982 release, and is often hailed as a classic – a staple installment in Ridley Scott’s filmography.
A second Blade Runner has been demanded by acne laden cyber nerds for nearly two decades, with games, novellas and underground events all attempting to reignite the fire of Dick’s existential tale of mortality. But the truth is Scott isn’t really delivering a sequel, in reality it sounds like the project will be a new tale just set in the same universe and with a new crew. Scott confirms that the new project will be without “the past cast, of course”, and when asked if Deckard will be exempt for that ruling, he said – “No, not really”.
So it’s ‘not really’ a sequel… just a continuation. But the important part is that at least the Blade Runner legacy is not doomed to disappear – “lost in time, like tears in the rain.”
What we can also be sure of is Scott further expanding what we know of the universe and building something much more expansive with the property and I think you can look to Prometheus as a good example of what we can expect. Same universe… but new ideas. I wouldn’t at all be surprised if he is looking at Prometheus writer Damon Lindelof to write the screenplay with him.
Out of the four directions you can go IF you are making a continuation of an old franchise with ‘remake/reboot’, ‘prequel’, ‘direct sequel’ and ‘sequel set in the same universe but little connective tissue’ – loose sequel is definitely the best way to go with Blade Runner. Don’t you agree?
Previously;
Ridley Scott’s BLADE RUNNER 2: What To Expect & What We Hope For
Ridley Scott To Direct BLADE RUNNER 2!
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5 Comments
So the substance of the article disputes the headline. How schizophrenic.
How do you mean Neville?
If anything Ridley Scott is the contradictory one as he has said it’s a sequel but will have a new cast.
Just hope he doesn’t finger Deckard as a replicant. That would, in some fashion, blow my concept of the whole mystique of original film. Unless Ridley does it in a clever way of course.
“But the important part is that at least the Blade Runner legacy is not doomed to disappear – “lost in time, like tears in the rain.””
I like your shoe horning skills Sir!
Personally I think this is a bad idea. Reminds me of George Lucas and Star Wars only this time it isn’t Ridley Scotts own universe he’s messing with.
Remake I would have thought is completely out because they had enough issues with that kind of thing the first time around, I can’t imagine Scott being willing to go through that particular nightmare all over again.
Would be interesting to get an opinion from Michael Deeley on this as he was the main driving force behind the original (from what he says anyway).
Hate to be the one to tell you Curt, but Deckard was a replicant. Aside from the years long debate based on clues in the film itself, Scott actually came out and confirmed it in an interview a few years back.