The Hollywood Reporter (via SFFGazette.com) reveals that Prime Video has given the green light to Blade Runner 2099, a limited series sequel to Sir Ridley Scott's iconic sci-fi franchise.
Amazon Studios and franchise owners Alcon Entertainment are developing the project, while Scott will serve as an executive producer. Silka Luisa (Shining Girls), meanwhile, has been tapped as showrunner. We first heard about plans for the show in February, and while plot details are scarce, common sense says the story will be set 50 years after 2017's Blade Runner 2049!
2099 will be a familiar year to many of you, as it's the year Marvel Comics' future stories take place (hence, Spider-Man 2099). Alas, those characters obviously won't be appearing here!
"The original Blade Runner, directed by Ridley Scott, is considered one of the greatest and most influential science-fiction movies of all time, and we’re excited to introduce Blade Runner 2099 to our global Prime Video customers," Amazon Studios Head of Global Television Vernon Sanders said in a statement earlier today.
"We are honored to be able to present this continuation of the Blade Runner franchise, and are confident that by teaming up with Ridley, Alcon Entertainment, Scott Free Productions, and the remarkably talented Silka Luisa," he continues, "Blade Runner 2099 will uphold the intellect, themes, and spirit of its film predecessors."
Alcon co-CEOs and co-founders Andrew Kosove and Broderick Johnson add, "Audiences first discovered Ridley Scott’s brilliant vision for Blade Runner 40 years ago, and since then, it has become one of the most influential science-fiction films of all time. Denis Villeneuve’s follow-up sequel, Blade Runner 2049, then became one of the best reviewed sequels of all time."
"So, we recognize that we have a very high bar to meet with this next installment. Together with Silka and our partners at Amazon, and Scott Free Productions, we hope that we can live up to that standard and delight audiences with the next generation of Blade Runner."
We're in equal parts excited and intrigued to see how this one comes together...and whether Harrison Ford and Ryan Gosling appear. Given the setting, we won't get our hopes up, and wouldn't be surprised if the time jump is a deliberate way to move this franchise forward with new leads.
The mention of this being a limited series confirms it will be a one-off too, so it's very intriguing to think about how this could potentially conclude the story Scott started telling back in 1982.
Are you excited for Blade Runner 2099? Let us know in the comments section.