‘Blade Runner’ Sequel Has A Director

Over the past 30 years Blade Runner has done nothing but grow into its current mythological size following its release in 1982. And while the fan base has been constant, the notorious tinkerer that is Ridley Scott has not left it alone, releasing several director’s cuts (each apparently being more director’s cut-y, and a little less or a little more vague–depending on the cut), and talked endlessly about a sequel; even going so far as to postulate about the logic behind Rick Deckard’s (Harrison Ford, who is already on board to return) inevitable aging.

For years Scott’s talk has been just that: talk. But the sequel is finally coming together. To make it a bit more official Denis Villeneuve has now signed on to direct (a role many thought Scott would reprise). And, admittedly, Villeneuve is quite possibly the most surprising and satisfying choices possible for the gig. (Who are we kidding? We gave the press release a round of applause!)

Villeneuve came out swinging for American audiences with his Best Foreign Picture Oscar, Incendies. But it was his 2013 one, two punch of Enemy and Prisoners that solidified his presence in our hearts. And it’s Enemy, the Jake Gyllenhaal (x2) starring film about a man who meets his perfect doppelgänger and watches his life come apart as a result, that so clearly proves Villeneuve is the right man for the job–assuming, of course, that the sequel is permitted to remain the dark and existential film that it must be to follow up Blade Runner and fit in Villeneuve’s oeuvre.

So, while there are a lot of unanswered questions (what will happen to Villeneuve’s other awesome projects he’s got in the pipeline? who will join Ford in the cast?), and filming won’t begin for a full year, this is definitely news to get excited about! Put this one on 2017’s must see list.