We’ve known for a while that Alcon Entertainment is planning on doing something with a BLADE RUNNER title, be it a sequel, prequel, remake… Something. Most people have not been very excited about the prospect, just as a majority of the populous grumbled when initial talk of an ALIEN prequel surfaced. But as with the latter project, perhaps the unhappiness will subside with the involvement of Sir Ridley Scott, the man who started it all?
Deadline.com is reporting that Scott “is committing to direct and produce a film that advances” the BLADE RUNNER mythos. Alcon Entertainment’s Broderick Johnson and Andrew Kosove will produce, while Warner Bros. will eventually distribute.
If you’re looking for more details, forget about it. It’s still unknown how exactly this will relate to BLADE RUNNER. See a trend growing? For a long while, we didn’t know if PROMETHEUS was indeed an ALIEN prequel; turns out it is, but very loosely. That could end up being the case with this project. Maybe we’ll get to see some attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion…
No writer has been hired yet (calling Mr. Lindelof?), nor is there evidence of a target date for production and/or release. For now, we’ll just have to live with the tantalizing knowledge that Sir Ridley is fully back into the sci-fi game, shedding new light on the memorable classics he first made three decades ago.
UPDATE: Alcon Entertainment has just issued an official press release about this project, which confirms Deadline’s story.
Here’s a quote from producers Broderick Johnson and Andrew Kosove: “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.”
The press release doesn’t reveal any more info about the mysterious project; it only calls it a “follow up” to BLADE RUNNER. It even states the “The filmmakers have not yet revealed whether the theatrical project will be a prequel or sequel to the renowned original.”
Original Blade Runner star, Daryl Hannah