The original BLADE RUNNER film came out over 30 years ago, hence why the sequel takes place 30 years after the events of that film. That’s a large gap in the middle where plenty of stories could be told that explain how the world of BLADE RUNNER has changed. To tell those stories, BLADE RUNNER 2049 director Denis Villeneuve got several directors to direct several short films that take place before the events of the first movie. We have the first of them here, 2036: NEXUS DAWN, starring Jared Leto and Benedict Wong (THE MARTIAN, DOCTOR STRANGE).
This is a neat little addition to the BLADE RUNNER universe that adds a bit of detail without revealing too much about 2049. This is better than what some other studios might do, like saving all this material for some sort of prequel series of films. This is a solid way to spend seven minutes, and I'm sure the next shorts will just as enthralling. I mean, who isn't captivated by that milky-eyed Leto?
BLADE RUNNER 2049 arrives October 6.