If you've been paying any attention to the world of TV and film production, you'll notice one trend that has been gaining massive popularity over the past few years: nostalgia. Adults in their twenties and thirties long for a simpler time, and are willing to shell out the big bucks to return to their favorite properties. But now that reboots and long awaited sequels have become commonplace, it's also easy for these types of projects to flounder and fail. And it appears that the folks behind Blade Runner 2049 are cognizant of this possibility, particularly director Denis Villeneuve.
Denis Villeneuve recently spoke to THR about Blade Runner 2049, the highly anticipated sequel to the 1982 classic. While Villeneuve certainly seems excited about his new project, he also acknowledges that the film still has the potential to fail.
Ryan Gosling and I made peace with the idea that the chances of success were very narrow. I came on board because the script was very strong. But no matter what you do, no matter how good what you're doing is, the film will always be compared to the first, which is a masterpiece. So I made peace with that. And when you make peace with that, you are free.
This is probably a great way to approach such an ambitious undertaking. Blade Runner is one of the most acclaimed sci-fi movies of all time, so Denis Villeneuve understands that the comparison between the two installments likely won't be in favor of the long awaited sequel. But he's made peace with this, and was therefore able to enjoy the process of crafting Blade Runner 2049.
News of Blade Runner's sequel has met with trepidatious excitement from the film's generations of fans. While original reception for the 1982 film was divisive, Blade Runner has since been applauded as one of the most significant additions to the sci-fi genre ever, and was even inducted into the United States National Film Registry. The film's cult status has been exacerbated in the decades since its release, with entire generations left wondering if Harrison Ford's Deckard was a replicant the whole time.
The unresolved cliffhanger regarding Deckard's fate has been discussed and dissected constantly since Blade Runner hit theaters. And while many fans were hoping that an answer would finally be revealed in Blade Runner 2049, early reports are that it actually won't be answered during the sequel's runtime. This is likely a major letdown to the hardcore fandom, although not adhering to their expectations is exactly what Denis Villeneuve is talking about to THR. Some people simply won't like the sequel, and there's not much that he can do about it.
Blade Runner 2049 will arrive in theaters on October 6, 2017, starring Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, Robin Wright, and Jared Leto. In the meantime, be sure to check our full 2017 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
