20 Things You Didn't Know About Blade Runner

9. Ridley Scott Was Fired Hours After Principal Photography Wrapped

Blade Runner Ridley Scott Extras
Warner Bros.

Due to the troubled nature of the film's production, with constant on-set tension and a rapidly expanding budget, executive producers Jerry Perenchio and Bud Yorkin stepped in and fired Scott and producer Michael Deeley almost immediately after shooting had wrapped, taking control of the editing process.

After rehiring Scott and Deeley at the behest of Alan Ladd Jr, they retained artistic control, resulting in disastrous preview screenings. They were then responsible for the addition of a happy ending using unused footage from Stanley Kubrick's The Shining and the inclusion of a voiceover from Harrison Ford - one that he hated so much, he delivered the entire thing with all the inflection of a piece of rotting driftwood. It goes a long way to explaining Blade Runner's initial poor reception.

Contributor

A self-taught video editor with nearly 25 years of experience, Joe worked in freelance videography for many years before joining WhatCulture in 2018. During that time, he has expanded his work to include both writing and presenting, and has been at the forefront of several new channel launches including WhatCulture Horror and WhatCulture Star Wars, largely defining their visual identity through the design and curation of their bespoke assets. As a dedicated WhatCulture Gaming staff member, he has spearheaded numerous new content strategies and formats, and has taken the lead on various charitable projects that have raised large sums of money for charities close to his heart. Bluesky and Instagram: @jjpinwheel