2. Does It Have A Big General Audience Who Will Pay To See It?
The original may have become a cult and critical success in its latter years, but this is not the same as an appeal to the general public. It is easy to exaggerate the importance of things in fan circles. Blade Runner may be influential, but it has not been as directly referenced as other films from the early eighties. Yes the public may know the name of the film, but not in the context of something they loved from their childhood and can be re-packaged for a new generation. If a sequel to Blade Runner is designed to have a Happy Meals promotion, there is probably something wrong with it. However this is the sort of thinking that will happen so that the film can be given its budget. It would be easier for the sequel to just aim to be a low-budget production that would recoup its investment on the DVD sales. However it is unlikely that anybody is thinking of this.