The Blade Runner franchise is getting another expansion, and the world of replicants will be making a transition from the big to small screen. The TV show is a surprise, not only because its announcement came out of the ether, but also because the high profile franchise is finding a home at a network one wouldn't immediately expect. The series, Blade Runner: Black Lotus, will air on Adult Swim and Crunchyroll in the U.S.
Specifically, Blade Runner: Black Lotus will run during the Toonami segment of Adult Swim's lineup, as it's to be an anime. The premiere season contains 13 30-minute episodes all set within the year 2032. There isn't much more known about the plot beyond that, minus that it will contain characters from the Blade Runner universe that audiences will be familiar with.
No specific clues were given as to who, but with Blade Runner: Black Lotus set squarely between the events of Blade Runner and Blade Runner: 2049, characters from both films could find their way into the action. Deckard or K may be involved, or the show may deal with more obscure figures from the franchise and tell their story instead.
Blade Runner: Black Lotus will be produced by Sola Digital Arts, who worked on the short-form anime Blade Runner: Black Out 2022. Shinji Aramaki and Kenji Kamiyama will direct the entire season, and Cowboy Bebop's Shinichiro Watanabe has been brought on as a creative consultant. Adult Swim will air the English dubbed episodes worldwide excluding Asia, while Crunchyroll will air the subtitled on its streaming service.
As far as what to expect from Blade Runner: Black Lotus, it's anyone's guess. Setting the show squarely between the two films gives a lot of free reign as to what could be tackled, although one would think the adventure will still be highly replicant-focused. Considering Shinji Aramaki and Kenji Kamiyama will follow up with this project shortly after completing work on an upcoming Ghost In The Shell series, it seems like a safe bet to make.
Blade Runner: Black Lotus is a big get for Adult Swim and Crunchyroll, who are both divisions of WarnerMedia. It's to be the first of several collaborations between WarnerMedia and Toonami and will join the two's recently released collaboration Mob Psycho 100. Toonami has a long-running history of running high profile anime on Cartoon Network, and this recent acquisition of the Blade Runner series may prove it's still just as relevant as its ever been.
Blade Runner: Black Lotus doesn't have a release date as of yet, so CinemaBlend will keep an eye out for more updates in the coming months. In the meantime, viewers should read up on what television is premiering in the near future and visit our fall and midseason premiere guides.
