‘Blade Runner’ Sequel: ‘Blade Runner 2049’ To Be Released in 2017

Blade Runner 2049, the long-awaited sequel to the 1982 dystopian film Blade Runner, takes place 30 years after events of the original film. The sequel has a new addition to its cast: “Hey-Girl” heartthrob  Ryan Gosling. The neo-noir science fiction sequel will also star Harrison Ford and Jared Leto.

The year is 2049, and a new blade runner, LAPD Officer K (Gosling), uncovers a long-buried secret that threatens to destroy what left of society. This discovery sets K on a quest to find Rick Deckard (Ford), a former LAPD blade runner who had disappeared for the last 30 years.

The sequel is highly anticipated, and has a lot to live up to. The original Blade Runner was considered by many as the pinnacle of sci-fi and neo-noir filmmaking. With big names like Ford and Gosling in this rendition, it may just live up to its predecessor.

Its making is certainly long overdue. Plans started in 1999 with Stuart Hazeldine, who wrote sequel, but the project stagnated due to issues involving rights to the novel. Ridley Scott, director of the original film, considered developing a sequel, but later stopped production due to funding problems.

In 2011, Christopher Nolan was reportedly the desired choice to direct the sequel, but this also didn’t pan out. In 2014, Scott released the statement that he would not be the director for the sequel, and would only be a producer. Finally, in February of 2015, the sequel was officially confirmed, with Denis Villeneuve hired as the new director. Villeneuve, a French-Canadian director whose stardom had been rapidly rising, oversaw critically acclaimed films like Prisoners (2013) and Sicario (2015).

Gosling, who was extremely secretive about his role, revealed nothing further about his character. The latest big name to join the cast, Jared Leto, was similarly tight-lipped about his role. All this mystique surrounding the film is fitting considering the subject matter, and heightened suspense and anticipation for the sequel’s release in October 2017.