Few science fiction movies have such renown as Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner. The original 1982 film starring Harrison Ford as the replicant hunting detective Rick Deckard is one of the quintessential movies of the genre, influencing legions of filmmakers and fans throughout the years.
The franchise has seen a resurgence in recent years, with both Denis Villeneuve’s sequel Blade Runner 2049 and the animated Blade Runner: Black Lotus series. Now, the next chapter in the Bladerunner saga has been announced.
A new Blade Runner series from Ridley Scott is coming to Prime Video
Per Entertainment Weekly, Amazon has greenlit a live-action limited series called Blade Runner 2099. No details are known about the plot, but given its title it seems like a fair guess that this new series could serve as a follow-up to Blade Runner 2049. Both Ridley Scott and Blade Runner 2049 screenwriter Michael Green will serve as executive producers — though the credits make special note that Green is serving in a “non-writing” capacity. Silka Luisa (Shining Girls) is set to be the showrunner on the series. Blade Runner 2099 is currently expected to be a 10 episode limited series, with each episode running around an hour.
“The original Blade Runner, directed by Ridley Scott, is considered one of the greatest and most influential science-fiction movies of all time, and we’re excited to introduce Blade Runner 2099 to our global Prime Video customers,” Amazon’s head of global television, Vernon Sanders, said in a statement. “We are honored to be able to present this continuation of the Blade Runner franchise, and are confident that by teaming up with Ridley, Alcon Entertainment, Scott Free Productions, and the remarkably talented Silka Luisa, Blade Runner 2099 will uphold the intellect, themes, and spirit of its film predecessors.”
If there’s one thing we know about modern Hollywood, it’s that it will do its best to milk any established IP until its a dry husk. Will that happen with Blade Runner? I’m not going to claim to know, but at the very least it’s a good sign that Scott has an active hand in the production of this sequel series. We’ll be keeping our eye out for more information as the series develops.
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