Denis Villeneuve hopes Blade Runner 2049 won’t be a replicant of the first

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

It's rare that a sequel tops its predecessor, and even more rare when that sequel arrives over thirty years after the release of the first. That's the challenge which BLADE RUNNER 2049 is facing, as it must satisfy fans of Ridley Scott's original as well as forge its own path, lest it come off as a rehash of what we've already seen. Given the talent involved in the much-anticipated sequel, I'm inclined to believe that BLADE RUNNER 2049 will succeed, but I suppose I shouldn't let my enthusiasm get the best of me.

Director Denis Villeneuve spoke with The Los Angeles Times recently, where he discussed how his BLADE RUNNER sequel will have its own personality.

The movie we did is deeply inspired by the first movie, but we tried not to become a pastiche or parody. We used elements from the first movie with humility and tried to find a strength in them. But this movie has its own personality.

As well as paying tribute to the world Ridley Scott created all those years ago, Denis Villeneuve also worked to push the visuals of BLADE RUNNER 2049 in new directions. Although the film will obviously feature its fair share of visual-effects, Villeneuve tried to keep everything as real and as tangible as he could, which meant real sets, real props, and doing everything possible to get the shot before handing it over the the visual-effects artists. In terms of the many holographic ads, such as the one seen below, Villeneuve said that they "constructed the bridge on the set, filled the stage with rain and fog, and we projected the actress on that gigantic screen. So the impact of the light is all real — it’s not something created by a computer."

Dennis Gassner was responsible for the production design on BLADE RUNNER 2049, but for one scene, in which Officer K (Ryan Gosling) inspects a ruined cityscape, Denis Villeneuve worked with original BLADE RUNNER concept artist Syd Mead. "For me, it was important to have one moment where Syd Mead would express himself," Villeneuve said. "I had the chance to meet the master and ask him to give me the gift to create a specific place. And when I saw his drawings, I was so moved."

Between 2019 and 2049, the climate in the world of BLADE RUNNER has drastically changed, so unlike the rain-soaked streets of Ridley Scott's original, BLADE RUNNER 2049 will have a much colder atmosphere. "As much as the first movie had an atmosphere of constant rain, in this one it would be colder," Villeneuve said. "Basically, you could say that the first movie was made by a man from London, England, and the second one was made by someone from Montreal, Canada." Despite the chilly ambience, vibrant colour will still play a big part in the film, with Denis Villeneuve saying that although the world is "quite bleak and dark and claustrophobic," he tried to find "an equilibrium with explosions of color that would express some emotions and some themes." The director added that the color yellow is very important in the film as it will be linked with different aspects of the story.

BLADE RUNNER 2049 will arrive in theaters on October 6, 2017.