Suffering from success doesn’t even describe the conflict that comes with being in Ridley Scott’s shoes. As the director behind iconic movies like Alien, Gladiator and Blade Runner, there’s a paternal element to Ridley Scott’s connection with these franchises. This bond is what made it difficult for him to choose between two of his most famous films when directing a sequel.
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In the early to mid-2010s, both Alien and Blade Runner’s parent companies were getting ready for sequels. Naturally, the best person to spearhead these projects was Ridley Scott himself, the director of both blockbuster hits. After originally being attached to the Blade Runner sequel in 2014, it was expected that we’ll see him taking us through the cyberpunk future he envisioned 40 years ago. Likewise, the Alien franchise is one that is hard to imagine without Ridley Scott directing the performances.
In an unlucky twist of fate, Scott was faced with scheduling conflicts while attempting to work on both films. In a recent interview with Empire, he voiced out his regrets stating, “I shouldn’t have had to make that decision, but I had to. I should have done Blade Runner 2.”
As an integral part of the Blade Runner story, his frustrations are felt. His vision for Blade Runner 2 was probably one that involved decades of preparation. Thankfully, the film still fell into good hands. Denis Villeneuve’s take on the dystopian sci-fi universe of Blade Runner 2049 has heavily resonated with old and new audiences alike. This is no small part, thanks to Ridley Scott’s involvement in the project as an executive producer.
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Ultimately, he helmed 2017’s Alien: Covenant, a film that starred Michael Fassbender, Billy Crudup, Katherine Waterson and other stars. Alien: Covenant was a great addition to the franchise, and it provided some context to the events of the original film.
Scott’s undying love for the original Blade Runner is a feeling that many directors share. To correct his mistake of not directing the sequel to Blade Runner, Scott has made a return to the franchise in the form of a limited series with Amazon Prime. The new show, called Blade Runner 2099, was originally announced in 2021, but now things are starting to come to fruition on the production side of the process.
Blade Runner 2099 is being produced by Ridley himself through his production company, Scott Free Productions, along with Alcon Entertainment. Writing for the film will borrow the talents of Silka Luisa (Halo 2022, Shining Girls). With its capacity as a limited series, there’s a potential for this to be a memorable, self-contained story. This will help it remain grounded in the core characters and present a solid instalment in a franchise that already has two generation-defining films.
The plot of this sequel is still yet to be released, but Scott described it in an interesting way. “To me, it circles the idea of Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World.”
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