Merrick here...
Back when we learned that Ridley Scott was onboard a new BLADE RUNNER movie of undetermined nature (Sequel? Prequel? Reboot? Verse story?), the first question which popped into the minds of many Geeks was: will Harrison Ford return to the Rick Deckard role he originated in Sir Ridley's 1982 multi-version masterpiece?
At that time, Producer Andrew Kosove made a point of expressing his sense that Harrision Ford would likely not be involved, because in his mind the new picture was..."a total reinvention and in my mind that means doing everything fresh, including casting."
Then, last weekend, Twitch posted a report indicating that Harrison Ford was in early talks to appear in the movie (details HERE), a development later denied by the new BR's production company (details HERE).
Fair enough. HOWEVER, speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Scott offered an update on the project - which is, evidently, still very much in the formative stages. For the first time (that I'm aware of, at least), he weighs in on whether or not Harrison Ford could/should return, and reveals that he's already had some level of conversation with Hampton Fancher, a scripter on the original movie.
Pulling interesting Scott quotelets...
We’re still in discussions about whether it should be a prequel or sequel
[EDIT]
I’m meeting with writers and I’ve also gone back to [original Blade Runner screenwriter] Hampton Fancher and he still speaks the speak. He’s right there. I spoke with him this week. But we don’t even have a script yet.
Regarding whether Ford's Deckard character is even in the film...
No. Don’t know yet. Don’t know yet.
EW: But you wouldn’t rule it out?
Absolutely not. But I’m not sure that that’s going to be a story point, so I don’t know. But if it were, nothing would please me more. Honestly.
In the EW piece, Scott also goes on to hint that he's already mulling a PROMETHEUS sequel...not altogether surprising, as we'd heard that initial plans called for this Summer's ALIEN prequel to be installment one of a two movie cycle. There's a conspiracy theory afoot which posits that this BLADE RUNNER movie may actually be the second film in said cycle - i.e. a PROMETHEUS sequel /BLADE RUNNER film which somehow dovetails the BLADE RUNNERverse with the ALIENverse. To some, this makes sense because...
1) PROMETHEUS and BLADE RUNNER 1982 (and presumably the new one as well) both deal with life (artificial and otherwise). What we think life is, what we find it isn't, etc.
2) The ALIENverse could be seen as an extension of BLADE RUNNER's still unseen "Offworld"verse...
3) Some find the announcement of a new BLADE RUNNER in such close proximity and sequence to PROMETHEUS a tad suspicious...
To be clear, I am NOT purporting that I believe this to be the case. I believe the two films are (and should remain) two disparate entities and feel they should remain completely unique in their mutual settings. I'm just conveying a thought process to which a few fans are subscribing...
Read the entirety of EW's piece with Scott HERE!
(spoiler)
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