Hampton Fancher To Write BLADE RUNNER Sequel

So, Hampton Fancher is writing the script for the Blade Runner sequel. That’s pretty great news considering that most of those involved in the original credit Fancher with having created a lot of what makes the 1982 film work-script wise.

For a long time it was up in the air if the new Blade Runner film would be a prequel or a sequel to the Harrison Ford starrer. Well, according to the press release: “the new story will take place some years after the first film concluded”. Not much to go on, but it looks like Ridley Scott will return to direct.

Alcon Entertainment’s Broderick Johnson and Andrew Kosove said: “It is a perfect opportunity to reunite Ridley with Hampton on this new project, one in fact inspired by their own personal collaboration, a classic of cinema if there ever was one.”

Indeed it is, but the storyline is the key here. Presumably, Harrison Ford won’t be involved in the film as Scott has always stated that his character was a replicant, therefore his ageing over the last thirty years will probably rule him out. Oh, and he didn’t have a great experience working with Scott on the Philip K. Dick adaptation.

The press release also says “collaborator Fancher originally conceived of their 1982 classic as the first in a series of films incorporating the themes and characters featured in Philip K. Dick’s groundbreaking novel “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?”, from which “Blade Runner” was adapted. Circumstances, however, took Scott into other directions and the project never advanced.”

Now, I’ve never heard this before, it sounds like B.S, a kind of Hollywood code for saying “we want this movie to kick-off a new franchise”. Although, in the ’90s there were rumblings of a potential follow-up after the release of the Director’s Cut.

Will it be any good?
Hard to say. It’s early days, but having Scott and Fancher involved is a good sign-it’ll be even more interesting to see if the pair follow through to the end of the project.

My main worry is that the age of digital technology will change the aesthetics of the film-like what I think has happened with Scott’s Prometheus.