Before we go any further, pay attention to this: so far, this movie is NOT happening. OK? OK. I’ve contacted an excellent source who knows nothing about this actually moving forward at the present, so don’t get too worried.
Travis Wright and John Glen, co-writers on the original draft of Eagle Eye, once worked on a Blade Runner sequel script. This was a while back, and at one point they were even working with original Blade Runner producer Bud Yorkin to get the thing off the ground. But like the Blade Runner Down project from the late ’90s, it died.
Or so we thought. Though Wright and Glen are no longer partnered at the keyboard, Wright is still talking about the project as if it is a going concern. /Film has the exclusive about Wright speaking at a recent Q&A, where he mentions the sequel script and the fact that he’s talked to producers, etc. about getting the film off the ground.
/Film originally reported that Wright and Glen were actively working on the project, but Glen wrote to clarify, as follows: “There was a point where Travis and I were working with Bud Yorkin on a sequel to Blade Runner, but that was years back. It never got too far off the ground because the movie is so perfect, so the more we thought about it, the more uneasy we became with the idea.”
Hopefully that means that /Film’s original scooper mis-characterized Wright’s comments at the Q&A, and that the screenwriter remains uneasy with the idea. Regardless, can you imagine the effort he’d have to put forth to get a Blade Runner sequel made? We may live in a Simpsons-like universe where an I Am Legend prequel seems like a good idea, but I don’t yet believe that even a studio head is dumb enough to think audiences want a sequel to this film.
9 comments
This and "A matter of life & death" are two of my favorite films. This news, although speculative, saddens but does not surprise me.
If this ever does get made I'll give up hope for Hollywood completely. Whatever happened to just telling a story with a start, middle, and end?
Yes, this: "It never got too far off the ground because the movie is so perfect, so the more we thought about it, the more uneasy we became with the idea."
If it's true.
Correct me if I am wrong, but wasn't Kurt Russel's Soldier a kind of Blade Runner sequel?
Blade Runner, perfect, let's not exaggerate now. It's a visually interesting film but it ain't a masterpiece and many seem blind to it's obvious faults as a "film". Without it's stunning visuals Blade Runner would be less than average.
I agree. Blade Runner was never my favorite, displaying at maximum all of Ridley Scott's considerable strengths and weaknesses. I even get bored with the visuals after a while. I know that sounds crazy. Like Oldman talking about the 9th symphony in The Professional. "That's why I stopped!" haha.
I believe "Soldier" was a "sidequel", if you will – set in the same universe.
It doesn't need a sequel, it needs a remake. The original is not popular enough in the mainstream for any studio to be foolish enough to make a sequel… unless the first one is remade beforehand.
"Perfect" may not be the linguistically exact right word to use to describe the movie but it gets the point across, which is that while very flawed the film should be considered one of the greats and occupies a very important place that shouldn't be encroached on lightly.
But, of course, this is a thread where someone suggested remaking it, so no real reason to continue.
Are people still honestly surprised by Hollywood's complete lack of reverence and respect in this day and age? Blade Runner's not even a film I'm particularly enamoured of, but hell, they'd remake Citizen Kane if they could figure out a way to get 15 year-old boys in the theatre.
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