Ridley Scott's sci-fi classic Blade Runner is set for another sequel, this time in the form of a live-action tv series. Now, Amazon Studios has taken up Scott's Blade Runner 2099 concept.
Scott has teased the new Blade Runner series since November 2021, stating they've written a pilot script and a series bible, without giving any further details. This marks the latest installment in the Blade Runner franchise, following 2017's beloved Warner Bros. film Blade Runner 2049 and Adult Swim's ongoing animated series Blade Runner: Black Lotus.
Deadline reports Amazon Studios is "fast tracking scripts" and looking at potential dates to begin production, as Blade Runner 2099 is said to be a priority for the company. At this time, the search for writers to join the staff is underway, with Silka Luisa already on board as a writer and executive producer. In addition to serving as an executive producer on the series, Deadline sources say Scott may also direct Blade Runner 2099 should the project move forward.
With all the hype surrounding the original film, the idea of a sequel was at one time considered blasphemy. But somehow, Denis Villeneuve pulled it off with Blade Runner 2049. While it wasn't a commercial hit, the film was an instant cult-classic, with many hailing it as up there with Mad Max: Fury Road as the best sequel of the 2010s. Villeneuve and company refused to recreate the original classic, and instead gave it visuals, characters, and sci-fi concepts entirely its own. Blade Runner 2049's influence and critical success paved the way for Dune, an even bigger Villeneuve sci-fi project.
But Blade Runner 2099 is already very different from 2049. The fact that Scott is a main creative force this time around is a far cry from the previous film, which he had next to no involvement with. Also, the title suggests the series will take place another 50 years after 2049, so we shouldn't expect any fan-service like Harrison Ford as Deckard. Whatever Scott's plan is, it's certain to be something completely new for the franchise.
This also isn't the first time Scott's returned to his work, as he recently made two Alien prequels, Prometheus and Alien: Covenant. While those two films have a mixed reception, they are among the more ambitious legacy-sequels to date, and they offer a fascinating new perspective from the man who started it all. If Scott can also do this for Blade Runner 2099, this should be a series worth watching.
Blade Runner 2099 is currently in priority development.
Source: Deadline