Ridley Scott Commits to New Blade Runner Film

[Andy Chalk]

Ridley Scott Commits to New Blade Runner Film

Ridley Scott has signed on to produce and direct a new Blade Runner [http://www.amazon.com/Blade-Runner-Five-Disc-Ultimate-Collectors/dp/B000K15VSA/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1313689905&sr=8-3] film.

There aren't many sci-fi films more iconic or influential than Blade Runner, Ridley Scott's 1982 masterpiece starring Harrison Ford as a man hunting down renegade "replicants" amidst the clogged industrial glow of Los Angeles in 2019. It's about as close to perfect as a film can get, which might leave you wondering where exactly the need to remake it comes from. And in fact a remake may not be in the works at all, but what is in the works is Scott's participation in some sort of new Blade Runner project.

The director is currently committed to the Starburst Magazine [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/111413-Fox-Counters-Prometheus-Plot-Leak], Alcon's deal for the rights to the Blade Runner franchise specifically excludes a straight-up remake of the original.

Scott's participation will likely be seen as important to the success of a new Blade Runner film, particularly since it may encourage the return of Ford as Rick Deckard, but that leads to the obvious and very divisive question of whether onr not we want another Blade Runner film in the first place. The world in which the film is set has limitless story potential, but is merely taking advantage of that setting enough to make it a "real" Blade Runner film? And if it does turn out to be a do-over of some sort, what are the odds that it will live up to the original - and why mess with perfection in the first place?

Source: Deadline [http://www.deadline.com/2011/08/ridley-scott-ready-to-direct-new-version-of-seminal-sci-fi-film-blade-runner/]


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[Arachon]

Oh god. No.

In my mind, Blade Runner is one of those films that only could get worse with a sequel... Please don't ruin one of my absolute most favourite films.

 

[cgentero]

Part of me is skeptical that this is just IP protection but part of me wants to see if Mr. Scott can make a great Blade Runner sequel(probably not though)

 

[Condiments]

Oh...my.....GOOOOOOOOOOODDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!

I don't know whether to be excited or afraid. Blade Runner is one of the best films I've ever seen, but I can seem them screwing it up making a blockbuster summer sequel.

 

[Devious Boomer]

What I'd like to see is the Blade Runner universe and the individual film's themes being fleshed out more. There was a lot brought up in the original film which wasn't explored in depth and is one of my criticisms of the film. I know there was the old PC adventure game (still fun to play, but some parts of it clock too fast due to modern CPUs - there is a way around it) and some books but there's so much more that could be done nowadays.

If the new Blade Runner film IS going ahead, I wonder what direction Scott will take it? To be honest, I feel Blade Runner is one of those films which doesn't need a sequel so much as a completely different story set elsewhere in the same universe with different themes, conflicts and characters. Maybe a tangential mention of Tyrell Corp or the rogue replicants as a treat, but nothing too intrusive.

 

[Lukeje]

As long as they don't ruin the ambiguity of whether

Spoiler: Is there really anyone that hasn't seen this film yet?

Deckard is a replicant or not

I don't care. And who knows; maybe we'll get another awesome adventure game [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blade_Runner_%281997_video_game%29] out of it.

 

[GothmogII]

That's it. Mr.Scott has gone insane, utterly. First the news of that baffling Alien prequel. Now this...is the man desperate or something?

 

[SonOfVoorhees]

Oh god. No.

In my mind, Blade Runner is one of those films that only could get worse with a sequel... Please don't ruin one of my absolute most favourite films.

This. A prequel or sequel will just ruin the original. Leave it alone and do something else. You would think RS would have freedom to make any film he wanted. Do something original you lazy bastard!!!

 

[rembrandtqeinstein]

If you are itching for blade runner check this out



review: http://liferthemoviecorner.blogspot.com/2010/10/natural-city.html

It is just as atmospheric and slow as the original blade runner so ymmv

 

[Condiments]

Oh god. No.

In my mind, Blade Runner is one of those films that only could get worse with a sequel... Please don't ruin one of my absolute most favourite films.

This. A prequel or sequel will just ruin the original. Leave it alone and do something else. You would think RS would have freedom to make any film he wanted. Do something original you lazy bastard!!!

I agree he should do something more original, but just think.....another movie in the Blade Runner universe. I can just hear that droning synth music, and see the water drenched city streets.

MMmmm....so delicious.

 

[Roganzar]

I can only hope they are not going to do any story directly related to the original Blade Runner. Now another story with different characters set in that setting would be fine. Referencing the original is fine as well. In fact I would like some reference back to Rick Deckard and the Replicants mentioned in there.
Also, Ridley Scott directing, again, and producing should keep it faithful to the original.
Thank you for not remaking it. In fact excluding a remake possibility shows some serious forethought.

 

[Woodsey]

"It's about as close to perfect as a film can get"

About as perfect a film can get if its looking to put me in a coma.

The best quote I've found to sum up my feelings on Blade Runner was something like: "every scene has 6 different subtexts, but no text." Just imagine me growling that as I drill through my brain in boredom.

The film was definitely "that thing" for me that I just don't "get".

 

[Condiments]

"It's about as close to perfect as a film can get"

About as perfect a film can get if its looking to put me in a coma.

The best quote I've found to sum up my feelings on Blade Runner was something like: "every scene has 6 different subtexts, but no text." Just imagine me growling that as I drill through my brain in boredom.

I have a feeling if this sequel proceeds, its going to be a lot more action oriented then the first one was.

 

[Rawne1980]

Blade Runner is, without a doubt, one of my favourite films.

I'll admit that I desired to see a sequel of it for years. I kept a warm fuzzy place in my heart hoping one day i'd see Blade Runner 2 (preferably with a better title than that though).

Now i'm unsure.

It's been 29 years since the original. A chunk of movie goers today wouldn't even know what Blade Runner is. Would they pander to a new generation and change it? Would it follow the exact same format? Would it be any good without Rutger Hauer? Is Harrison Ford a little bit too old for that kind of role?

Some of those points don't matter but the big two do. Rutger Hauer and Harrison Ford are what made Blade Runner an iconic film with a massive cult following. The story was a good one don't get me wrong but the charcters played by Hauer and Ford are what made it. Well, lets be fair, most films Hauer touched were golden. I mean "The Hitcher" still stands out as one of the best psychological thrillers of all time.

But who could replace actors of that calibre. Obviously Hauer's character "dies" at the end of Blade Runner so he would be a no go anyway (that and he's nearly 70 so doubt we'd see him semi nekkid running around a rooftop and howling .... unless he's gone senile). Ford is also knocking on 70 and it just wouldn't look right unless they called it Blade Runner - The Retirement Home Edition.

One of my concerns is, we've taken away two of the things that made Blade Runner great, where do they go from that?

My other concern is, seeing the thirst for action in the new generations, will they focus on that and lose the gritty suspense that Blade Runner had.

My question is, will it actually BE Blade Runner or will it be just another action film with a name tagged on we have grown to love.

And i'll leave you with one of the more famous scenes in movie history. The death of a Replicant. Blade Runner, I salute thee.

 

[WanderingFool]

"It's about as close to perfect as a film can get"

About as perfect a film can get if its looking to put me in a coma.

The best quote I've found to sum up my feelings on Blade Runner was something like: "every scene has 6 different subtexts, but no text." Just imagine me growling that as I drill through my brain in boredom.

I have a feeling if this sequel proceeds, its going to be a lot more action oriented then the first one was.

Firstly, that picture basically made my day... thank you...

Secondly, what you said is the very thing that worries me. Blade runner, as I saw it, was a movie about humanity, and what makes us human.

Spoiler: As I saw it...

Ford's character realized at the end when the last replicant died, that there was nothing that truely seperated them from eachother, beyond the obvious physical aspects. I see it as the main problem with creating advance AI, at what point is the AI still a software program, and when is it human?

 

[Baresark]

Big surprise. They can't come up with a new IP in Hollywood, too risky, so they are simply going to keep running classic movies into the ground. I have to say though, it's not like he has a lot of bad movies under his belt, to the contrary, he has so few you could probably count them on a single hand. But, I can't help but feel this is inevitably going to be another Tron.

 

[Realitycrash]

Indeed, why the HELL would we want another Blade Runner?
Another sci-fi film set in the same universe, with some thought-provoking backdrop? Sure. But that won't be Blade Runner, now will it?

 

[Riff Moonraker]

I am both VERY happy and VERY concerned. Only time will tell which of those it will be...