Cast your mind back to December of 2015, when Star Wars: The Force Awakens released, and you’ll no doubt remember the magical moment when Harrison Ford stepped onto the screen, blaster in hand, as the great Han Solo. The galaxy’s greatest smuggler is by no means the only iconic character that Ford will revisit though, what with Blade Runner 2049 and a fifth Indiana Jones film also in the pipeline.
The former is much closer to home, and has Arrival filmmaker Denis Villeneuve behind the lens in anticipation of an October 2017 release date. And though there’s an air of skepticism lingering over 2049 – hardly surprising, given Blade Runner is one of the most revered sci-fi properties in the business – we can hardly wait to see Harrison Ford back in the role of Rick Deckard.
Much like how The Force Awakens leveraged older characters to introduce a new generation of stars, Blade Runner 2049 has recruited an all-star ensemble of Hollywood talent, including Captain Phillips actor Barkhad Abdi. The Academy Award-winner climbed aboard Villeneuve’s sequel early on in the role of a mystery scientist, and when The Hollywood Reporter caught up with the actor just recently, he shed some light on his “totally deformed” character, before hinting at his desire to emulate the acclaimed performance seen in Captain Phillips.
It’s not pressure, it’s a blessing. But for me, I do everything that I do to the full extent like it’s the last one. I feel an obligation to [surpass] Captain Phillips — that’s my goal. So every time I have an opportunity, I like to do what I can, because I’m all about this [career].
Blade Runner 2049 races into theaters on October 6th, 2017.
