Denis Villeneuve would like to return to the world of Blade Runner

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Denis Villeneuve pulled off the impossible with BLADE RUNNER 2049; not only did the director craft a compelling sci-fi movie, but the film also served as a worthy sequel to Ridley Scott's original film. Unfortunately, although BLADE RUNNER 2049 was embraced by critics, it wasn't exactly a box-office success, which spelled doom to any further installments.

Ridley Scott has previously said that he has another BLADE RUNNER story "ready to evolve and be developed, so there is certainly one to be done for sure," and Denis Villeneuve recently told Empire that he's also open to returning to the world, but not for a direct sequel.

It’s such an inspiring place, the Blade Runner world. The problem is have is the word ‘sequel’. I think cinema needs original stories. But if you ask me if I’d like to revisit this universe in a different way, I can say yes. It would need to be a project on its own. Something disconnected from both other movies. A detective noir story set in the future… I wake up sometimes in the night dreaming about it.

Given how well Denis Villeneuve tackled the world of BLADE RUNNER for the sequel, I'd absolutely be first in line for any return to the franchise. Although Villeneuve has said that he wished the film had done better, he can appreciate that the sequel has followed the same route as the original film. "That’s the first thing one of my sons told me: “Papa you honor the first movie until the very end.” Because the first movie had the same fate," Villeneuve said. "The original Blade Runner when it came out wasn’t a success, and through time it became was it is today. I was not looking for that. But what I really am at peace with is the fact that the hard core fans that love the first movie really welcome this one, and that for me it means the world."

Denis Villeneuve's next film is DUNE, an adaptation of the Frank Herbert novel which features an all-star cast. Timothée Chalamet's (THE KING) will star as Paul Atreides, with Oscar Isaac (STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER) playing Duke Leto Atreides, Paul's father, Rebecca Ferguson (DOCTOR SLEEP) as Paul's mother, Lady Jessica, Stellan Skarsgard (THOR) as the villainous Baron Harkonnen, Dave Bautista (BLADE RUNNER 2049) as his sadistic nephew, Glossu "Beast" Rabban, Charlotte Rampling (RED SPARROW) as the Reverend Mother Mohiam, the emperor's truthsayer, Josh Brolin (AVENGERS: ENDGAME) as Gurney Halleck, a troubadour-swordsman, Javier Bardem (PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES) as Stilgar, the leader of the Fremen, and Zendaya (SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME) as Chani, a Fremen who becomes a love interest to Paul Atreides, Jason Momoa (AQUAMAN) as Duncan Idaho, a swordmaster in the house of Atreides, and David Dastmalchian (ANT-MAN AND THE WASP) as Piter De Vries, a twisted Mentat. DUNE is slated for a December 18, 2020 release.