The new ‘Blade Runner’ is Officially a sequel!

Yesterday a press release by Warner Bros. confirmed what has long been speculated, the new Blade Runner is officially a sequel.

When the new Blade Runner was first revealed to be in production, Scott wasn’t clear on if the new one would be a side story just set in the same time period/ same universe to the original Blade Runner, but he eventually did get around to mentioning that it was more likely to be a sequel.

But now with the press release its been confirmed to be a sequel to the original Blade Runner and that screenwriter Hampton Fancher is confirmed his involvement. For people who dont understand the gravity of his now confirmed involvement, he was the primary influence and was  instrumental in Philip K. Dick’s novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep being optioned into a movie, which led to Blade Runner becoming a film in the first place. Although it isnt clear on the level of involvemtent but it is confirmed that he’s on board to “develop the idea for the original screenplay” for the new movie.

But along with all this news, Ridley Scott dropped a very interesting note while interviewing in regards to his upcoming Alien prequel Prometheus;

“Funny enough, I started my first meetings on the Blade Runner sequel last week. We have a very good take on it. And we’ll definitely be featuring a female protagonist.”

With all this news and the rumors of Harrison Ford even coming back for a cameo, I for one am beyond excited for all this news. Blade Runner is an amazing piece of cinematic art, its not for everyone simply because its message is extremely profound and its easily missed on those who cant see those kinds of things in movies. Blade Runner to me has always been  a testament to what movies can be at their best, and I applaud Ridley Scott deciding to revisit one of his most epic masterpieces all this years later, I just hope that what he does with this movie is what fans are expected with Prometheus. Only time will tell, but I’m sure to be waiting on the edge of my seat until then.

Follow the break to read the official press release.

LOS ANGELES, CA, MAY 17, 2012—Hampton Fancher is in talks to reunite with his “Blade Runner” director Ridley Scott to develop the idea for the original screenplay for the Alcon Entertainment, Scott Free, and Bud Yorkin produced follow up to the ground-breaking 1982 science fiction classic, it was announced by Alcon co-founders and co-Chief Executive Officers Broderick Johnson and Andrew Kosove.

The filmmakers are also revealing for the first time that the much-anticipated project is intended to be a sequel to the renowned original. The filmmakers would reveal only that the new story will take place some years after the first film concluded.

The three-time Oscar-nominated Scott and his “Blade Runner” collaborator Fancher originally conceived of their 1982 classic as the first in a series of films incorporating the themes and characters featured in Philip K. Dick’s groundbreaking novel “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?”, from which “Blade Runner” was adapted. Circumstances, however, took Scott into other directions and the project never advanced.

Fancher, although a writer of fiction, was known primarily as an actor at the time Scott enlisted him to adapt the Dick novel for the screen. Fancher followed his “Blade Runner” success with the screenplays, “The Mighty Quinn” (1989) and “The Minus Man” (1999). He has continued to write fiction throughout his career.

Scott also will produce with Alcon co-founders and co-Chief Executive Officers Broderick Johnson and Andrew Kosove as well as Bud Yorkin and Cynthia Sikes Yorkin. Frank Giustra and Tim Gamble, CEO’s of Thunderbird Films, will serve as executive producers.

The original film, which has been singled out as the greatest science-fiction film of all time by a majority of genre publications, was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.” The film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry in 1993 and is frequently taught in university courses. In 2007, it was named the 2nd most visually influential film of all time by the Visual Effects Society.

State Kosove and Johnson: “It is a perfect opportunity to reunite Ridley with Hampton on this new project, one in fact inspired by their own personal collaboration, a classic of cinema if there ever was one.”

Released by Warner Bros. almost 30 years ago, “Blade Runner” was adapted by Fancher and David Peoples from Philip K. Dick’s groundbreaking novel “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” and directed by Scott following his landmark “Alien.” The film was nominated for two Academy Awards (Best Visual Effects, and Best Art Direction). Following the filming of “Blade Runner,” the first of Philip K. Dick’s works to be adapted into a film, many other of Dick’s works were likewise adapted, including “Total Recall,” “A Scanner Darkly,” “Minority Report,” “Paycheck,” and the recent “The Adjustment Bureau,” among others.