The ‘Blade Runner’ sequel finally has a title — ‘Blade Runner 2049’ — but what does it mean?
Warner Bros. announced the title for its upcoming “Blade Runner” sequel as “Blade Runner 2049” and released a first publicity photo with old and new cast members.
Set several decades after the original film, which was itself set in the year 2019, the new film stars Ryan Gosling alongside Harrison Ford, who will be reprising his role as Rick Deckard. Directed by Denis Villeneuve, who also has the sci-fi film “Arrival” opening in November, “Blade Runner 2049” is scheduled to open Oct. 6, 2017.
The new film is written by Hampton Fancher and Michael Green. The story for the original film was written by Fancher and David People, loosely based on Philip K. Dick’s novel “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep.” The supporting cast of the sequel includes Robin Wright, Mackenzie Davis, Jared Leto, Ana de Armas, Dave Bautista and Barkhad Abdi.
Ridley Scott, director of the original, is producing the sequel. Anyone needing immediate details as to who is or is not a replicant — questions that have lingered with fans of the original for decades — will have to continue to wait. As the press release announcing the title added, “story details are not being revealed.”
Due to the scarcity of plot details, we’ll have to assume that the 2049 in the new title is the date the sequel is set in, 30 years in the future of the “Blade Runner” universe. What will the dreary dystopia that Scott created (and many future filmmakers emulated) look after even more time has passed?
Here’s hoping they keep the same dystopian Los Angeles setting from the first film, and perhaps a visit back to the Bradbury Building?
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