Ridley Scott is returning to the world he created in Blade Runner for a new movie.
Scott has signed a deal with Alcon Entertainment to produce and direct a new Blade Runner film, though it remains unclear at this time as to whether it will be a prequel or a sequel to Scott’s 1982 science-fiction classic. There is also no word as to whether there would a part for the original film’s star Harrison Ford.
You can read the complete press release below.
Based on Philip K. Dick’s novel Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?, Blade Runner centered on Dekker (Ford), a retired police officer who specialized in hunting down androids who could pass among regular human beings. When a number of them escape from an off-world colony and head back to Earth to confront their maker, Dekker is pulled back out of retirement to hunt them down.
Scott has previously stated his desire to work in the Blade Runner world some more. In 2007 he stated at San Diego Comic Con that he was contemplating doing some sort of sequel to the film. Eagle Eye co-writer Travis Wright was also reported to have been developing a screenplay for a possible sequel with producer Bud Yorke around the same time. Scott also stated in 2009 his intention to produce a series of 5-10 minute long web-distributed short films called Purefold that would be a prequel to Blade Runner, though rights issues would have seen to it that the proposed series was not linked too closely to the original film.
Back in March, Alcon had purchased the rights to make Blade Runner prequels or sequels, but not the rights to remake the original film.
It is unknown how much, if anything, from these various proposed projects will make their way into this new film, but I would bet that Scott will start with a fresh slate. Equally doubtful is the idea that the three sequel novels written by Dick’s friend K. W. Jeter will be adapted.
With both Blade Runner and Alien, Scott cemented his reputation as a grandmaster of cinematic science-fiction storytelling. Scott has already returned to the universe he created in Alien with his upcoming Prometheus, even though the production continues to state that new film is not a prequel per se. Will both of these new projects stand equal to his originals from three decades ago? It’ll be exciting to find out.
Here’s the full press release from Alcon –
ANGELES, CA, AUGUST 18, 2011—Three-time Oscar-nominated director Ridley Scott is set to helm a follow up to his own ground-breaking 1982 science fiction classic “Blade Runner” for Warner Bros-based financing and production company Alcon Entertainment (“The Blind Side,” “The Book of Eli”).
Alcon co-founders and co-Chief Executive Officers Broderick Johnson and Andrew Kosove will produce with Bud Yorkin and Cynthia Sikes Yorkin, along with Ridley Scott. Frank Giustra and Tim Gamble, CEO’s of Thunderbird Films, will serve as executive producers.
The filmmakers have not yet revealed whether the theatrical project will be a prequel or sequel to the renowned original.
Alcon and Yorkin recently announced that they are partnering to produce “Blade Runner” theatrical sequels and prequels, in addition to all television and interactive productions.
The original film, which has been singled out as the greatest science-fiction film of all time by a majority of genre publications, was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.” The film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry in 1993 and is frequently taught in university courses. In 2007, it was named the 2nd most visually influential film of all time by the Visual Effects Society.
State Kosove and Johnson: “It would be a gross understatement to say that we are elated Ridley Scott will shepherd this iconic story into a new, exciting direction. We are huge fans of Ridley’s and of the original ‘Blade Runner.’ This is once in a lifetime project for us.”
Scott is represented by David Wirtschafter at WME and David Nochinson at Ziffren Brittenham.
Released by Warner Bros. almost 30 years ago, “Blade Runner” was adapted by Hampton Fancher and David Peoples from Philip K. Dick’s groundbreaking novel “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” and directed by Scott following his landmark “Alien.” The film was nominated for two Academy Awards (Best Visual Effects, and Best Art Direction). Following the filming of “Blade Runner,” the first of Philip K. Dick’s works to be adapted into a film, many other of Dick’s works were likewise adapted, including “Total Recall,” “A Scanner Darkly,” “Minority Report,” “Paycheck,” and the recent “The Adjustment Bureau,” among others.
