Last year's Blade Runner 2049 finally transported us back to a neon noir Los Angeles and the world of replicants after 35 long years. Denis Villeneuve's film was a critical darling and earned Roger Deakins his long overdue Oscar, but it didn't exactly set the box office on fire. So although Ridley Scott is keen on continuing the franchise, we don't currently know what the future holds for Blade Runner on the big screen. Fortunately we won't have to wait another 35 years for more content from this fascinating universe. Alcon Media Group and Titan Publishing are teaming up to explore the Blade Runner universe in comics and graphic novels.
The co-publishing venture, as reported by Entertainment Weekly, will see the Blade Runner universe explored and expanded on, telling new stories we've never seen before. The comics and graphic novels will dive deeper into the universe established by the films with in-canon stories. The hope is to organically grow the world of the franchise, while still maintaining the tone and quality it is known for. Titan Publishing isn't new to print tie-ins with movie and TV properties either, having published books set in the Marvel, DC and Doctor Who universes. In a statement, Titan's publishers noted that the Blade Runner universe still has much to be explored and they intend to bring the world to life for a new audience. The announcement did not give a timeline for when we can expect these Blade Runner comics or any hints as to what stories we can expect and whether or not we will see any returning characters like K or Deckard.
This is a pretty cool way to expand the universe of Blade Runner, _and has tons of potential. In lieu of another movie or a TV show, it's exciting that _Blade Runner will continue in a visual medium. While based on Philip K. Dick's novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, the universe established in the films is so visually striking with such a distinct aesthetic that keeping it in the visual realm will maintain a big aspect of what it is known for. Graphic novels and comic books seem well suited to tackle the cyberpunk aesthetic while telling new stories. The only challenge will be that you now have to play that insane score in your head, or just play it in the background.
The Blade Runner universe is fairly untapped outside of the films and the universe is rich with potential. So there is a ton of possibility where these graphic novels could go. I imagine one of the stories people would most like to see is one that fills in the time from when we last saw Harrison Ford's Deckard in the first film to when we see him again in Blade Runner 2049. Another cool option would be to see an origin for Roy Batty. The fact that these comic and graphic novels will be in-canon is also interesting, especially if Blade Runner gets another film down the line.
Stay locked on CinemaBlend and we'll keep you updated on all the latest from the growing Blade Runner universe, and for all the biggest movies hitting theaters this year, check out our release schedule.
