The long-discussed Blade Runner sequel continues to slowly build steam. And, speaking of steamy, this latest bit of casting news from a Collider interview, officially announced that Ryan Gosling will join Harrison Ford in the new project. The actor did not go into any specifics, joking that “there’s a chip in me and if I say anything more I’ll explode if I say anything else.” (Maybe replicants also replicate things they just said.) While Gosling’s character remains a mystery, he will somehow encounter an older version of Ford’s Rick Deckard.
Originally, Ridley Scott planned on directing this project as well, but passed the reigns over to Denis Villeneuve. Villeneuve’s previous films include the intense kidnapping movie Prisoners from 2013 and this year’s acclaimed Sicario. Scott is still on board as producer and helped write the script with Hampton Fancher and Michael Green.
Gosling continues to balance his time between big time studio projects and smaller projects. Every few years he does a Gangster Squad or Crazy, Stupid, Love when not making movies like Drive, The Place Between the Pines, and Only God Forgives. Up next, he stars in the handsome-packed Adam McKay comedy The Big Short alongside Brad Pitt, Finn Wittrock, Christian Bale, Max Greenfield, Steve Carell, Selena Gomez, and Karen Gillan. That one opens on December 23.
Gosling also mentioned that Blade Runner 2 will be his next project which reinforces the idea that the sequel will begin filming next year with an eye towards a 2017 release. If they’re able to stay on that course, the new film will be out in time to celebrate the original’s 35 year anniversary.
By TJ Dietsch
