The process of creating a sequel to the 1982 classic film Blade Runner continues to gain momentum, with the news that actress Sylvia Hoeks has joined the stellar cast, in a leading role. The Dutch star, whose work includes the film The Girl And Death and the TV series Bloedverwanten, will appear alongside Harrison Ford, Ryan Gosling, Robin Wright, Dave Bautista and Ana de Armas in Blade Runner 2, directed by Denis Villeneuve.
For fans, anxiety is swirling around this project like a sinister mist – so beloved is the original Ridley Scott film. Based on the Philip K. Dick novel, Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?, Blade Runner saw Harrison Ford star as Rick Deckard – a former cop making his living as an assassin of replicants, or androids that look and behave like humans. In a dystopian vision of Los Angeles in the year 2019, Deckard is assigned to track down and eliminate four fugitive replicants who have committed a bloody crime. In doing so, he is challenged by, and confronted with, his own prejudices about artificial intelligence, and his perception of humanity.
The original film cemented director Ridley Scott into the Hollywood firmament as a filmmaker of exceptional ability. While Scott will not helm the follow up, he will produce it, and has crafted the story along with Hampton Fancher – one of the writers of Blade Runner. Cinematography legend Roger Deakins will lay his revered lens over the proceedings – a move which is inspired to say the least. The original film saw Jordan Cronenweth take charge of the photography of the piece – playing a significant role in crafting what has become an iconic cinematic aesthetic. Blade Runner 2 is apparently set several decades after the original film, however, and this change in cinematography will reflect the progress of a futuristic society.
The real concern centres around the script which, although shaped by Ridley Scott and Hampton Fancher, is co-written by Fancher and Michael Green – a co-writer of 2011’s Green Lantern. In that film, Green and his colleagues worked hard to create a different world – but it ultimately failed to make it work in a cohesive, coherent way. For this reason, the presence of Scott and Fancher is comforting, but we can only hope that the work of Michael Green in the hands of a director such as Denis Villeneuve will yield greater results.
For her part, newly cast Sylvia Hoeks brings with her a wealth of experience in European cinema, and the vast confidence of Alcon Entertainment co-founders Andrew Kosove and Broderick Johnson.
“Sylvia is a radiant talent, a tremendous actress with great appeal in a wide variety of roles. Her addition to this vastly accomplished international cast is a perfect fit.”
We can surely expect further casting announcements over the coming months as the production of Blade Runner 2 cranks into high gear ahead of its release date of October 6th, 2017, so stay tuned for more.
