Syd Mead, iconic Blade Runner artist and futurist, dies at 86

Legendary visual artist and futurist Syd Mead, whose otherworldly imagination helped shape the look of genre-defining science-fiction films including BLAD RUNNER, TRON, ALIENS, and STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE, has passed away. According to Autoline journalist John McElroy, Mead shuffled off this mortal coil on Monday after experiencing complications from lymphoma in Pasadena, California. The iconic artist's death comes just two months shy of when Mead was set to receive the Art Directors Guild’s William Cameron Menzies Award during the Guild’s 24th Annual awards in February for his world-building contributions to ALIENS, BLADE RUNNER, and STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE.

Back before he was designing looks for some of science-fiction's most influential films, Mead began his design career while working for Ford Motor Co., Sony, U.S. Steel and Phillips Electronics. In time he'd found himself working as a production illustrator for director Robert Wise. It was by the filmmaker's side that Mead created the massive entity V'Ger, which had been featured as a central part of Wise's 1979 classic STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE.

From that point forward, Mead set his sights on creating memorable landscapes and technology for films like BLADE RUNNER and TRON, both of which are hailed as high-water marks of the science fiction film industry.

In recent times, Mead lent his design talents to films like MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 3, ELYSIUM, and TOMORROWLAND. He also consulted on visionary director Denis Villeneuve's BLADE RUNNER 2049.

We here at JoBlo would like the express our sincere condolences to Mead's family, friends and fans. While he is no longer with us, it comforts me to know that Mead's work will continue to be appreciated by many for countless years to come. Rest well, good sir, you will be sorely missed.