Usually when a studio announces it’s digging through its archives to prequelize/sequelize/reboot its valuable properties, fans cry foul. But with certain studios taking a little more care these days with the creative teams behind those spinoffs, it’s getting harder to tell the difference between a simple cash grab and genuine artistic endeavour. With Ridley Scott taking the helm of the prequel to his own classic “Alien” and lining up a pretty stellar cast, we’re as hopeful as anyone that he can pull it off. And since the recent announcement that the rights had been secured for Scott’s other sci-fi masterpiece “Blade Runner,” fans of the cult film have wondered who might end up taking the reins. Just a few weeks ago the company who secured the rights, Alcon Entertainment, said they hadn’t met with Scott yet, but the idea of him returning to the series would be “wonderful.”
Scott even mentioned he thought there was potential for a sequel during press for the films 2007 “Final Cut” DVD release. “I think there could be a sequel to [Blade Runner]. There is clearly a story in the sequel. It probably keys off with Edward James Olmos’ line when he says ‘It’s a pity she won’t live. But then who does.’ And of course I think they’re both [Deckard and Rachael] replicants, so that’s a pretty good starting block for us.” Hero Complex caught up with Rutger Hauer, antagonist Roy Batty in the original film, doing press for his latest, “Hobo With A Shotgun” and asked what he thought about the possibility of future installments of the now-classic film.
The 67 year old actor said, “If Christopher Nolan would be on it I’d say, ‘All right, go for it!’ But otherwise you can’t do it. ‘Blade Runner’ is such a unique film. How do you describe a diamond? I don’t think you should ever touch it again.” Though it’s definitely a long shot, especially with Nolan’s schedule currently loaded with “The Dark Knight Rises” and his Howard Hughes biopic, it is a fascinating idea. Hauer starred in “Batman Begins” for Nolan who has already professed his love for “Blade Runner” and stated its influence on his work, particularly last summer’s mindbender “Inception.”
The director told EW back in 2002, ”You’d love to say it was Nicholas Ray or Kurosawa that really influenced you, but for someone my age, that’s a lie. I’m one of those guys who saw Blade Runner 200 times. Orson Welles just doesn’t compare to that.” And in a recent talk with Guillermo del Toro he elaborated on how the film’s ambiguity has influenced his work. “I was so struck by ‘Blade Runner’ when I saw it and when I look at this film again, I think there’s so much concern with memory and identity that I carry over from that film, because it just made such an incredible impression on me. This is why I don’t answer questions about my own films, is because Ridley Scott has said, he thinks that Deckard is a replica, so you’re not really free [to come up with your own interpretation]. I’m not going to argue with him, he should know.”
The producers have already named Nolan as a “pie in the sky” choice so while they realize that it’s not likely it is fun to dream. But “Blade Runner” has been so influential for a generation of filmmakers, we could probably think of someone who might be interested in the job should Nolan pass on the opportunity.
More sequels? Talking about lack on inspiration in Hollywood, not to mention Hauer\’s lack of significant roles… And I beg to differ: without _Citizen Kane_ there would be no _Blade Runner_. _Inception_ was a visually dazzling film with very little content: the narration is banal nearing trite: pop-psychology of the cheapest kind. Gone are the days of _Memento_. 🙁
JJ Abrams is a horrible \’filmmaker\’. Yuk. He got used by The Cruiser for Mission Impossible 3. What a sellout. Who wants a threequel on their CV?
I\’m amazed to live in a world where Ridley\’s Robin Hood gets panned and JJ Abrams Star Trek gets praised.
Crazy.
\”Ridley just had the best decade of his career.\”
did you actually see Robin Hood, or that year in France movie?
Putting those two, not very good movies aside, seriously does anything in the last ten years hold a candle to Blade Runner or Alien?
It\’s okay he\’s made some bench mark movies, just don\’t see him doing it again.
so you\’re putting Body of Lies over Blade Runner?
Don\’t get me wrong they\’re better than most bigger budget stuff but I still think he\’s not the film maker he once was.
A Blade Runner sequel is just a bad idea. It\’s like that horrible \”sequel\” to 2001. How can you compete with an original masterpiece like 2001 or Blade Runner? You\’re just setting yourself up for failure and mockery.
Robin Hood is one of the best action movies in a while.
\”Putting those two, not very good movies aside, seriously does anything in the last ten years hold a candle to Blade Runner or Alien?\”
Kingdom of Heaven Director\’s Cut is right there with Alien as his best movie. Matchstick Men not far behind. Add that, plus American Gangster, Gladiator, Black Hawk Down, and Body of Lies, and few directors have had a better decade. It\’s his strongest output of consistency in his career.
And I don\’t think Blade Runner is all that great.
It\’s funny. Ridley was 61 when he was filming Gladiator. Prometheus will be his tenth film since Gladiator. That\’s pretty inspiring.
Ridley just had the best decade of his career.
Nolan would be a bad choice. His style really has nothing in common with early Ridley Scott. Zack Snyder has a feel that is closer to the Ridley Scott who made The Duellists, Alien, Blade Runner and Legend.
As for Scott, it will be interesting to see how Prometheus turns out. It\’s been exactly thirty years since he tackled the Sci-fi genre. Many would argue Alien and Blade Runner are the two best Sci-fi films of all-time. Thats alot to live up to.
Come on Juliet can you really dismiss gladiator as \’hazy and/or not all that interesting\’?
They should just let that thing rest in peace. A sequel would only serve to dilute whatever good will we (or maybe in this case I) have towards the first film. This has Tron:Legacy, Phantom Menace and Texasville written all over it. If this were done in the 90\’s I would be a bit more optimistic but way too much time has passed and it would really have to pull out all stops to match the first one in visual content alone, something I don\’t think could ever be done again. I\’d much rather see a sequel to Cabin Boy starring Will Ferrell as Chris Elliot\’s son or a sequel to Nashville directed by Paul Thomas Anderson.
I hope that Mr. Scott stays far away from this.
My vote goes to either, Gore Verbinski, David Fincher or Nora Ephron. Each of these directors would also be great choices.
Chris Nolan would do a great job. Duncan Jones would do great, too.
Ridley… His work from the last decade and what he said about how there\’s definite story potential for a BR sequel shows how dull he\’s become.
For me, there\’s Alien, Blade Runner, Thelma & Louise and Black Hawk Down. Outside of those, it\’s pretty hazy and not all that interesting. It\’s amazing how much he\’s turning into his brother.