By this stage, reboots of age-old classics or sequels to films that nobody necessarily asked for have become synonymous with skepticism – and no wonder. Over the years, fans nurture a connection with their favorite features, and though it may err towards pessimism, it’s rare for a follow-up to arrive so long after its original and offer something of value.
One director that will look to buck that trend, however, is Denis Villeneuve, who will take the reins from Ridley Scott for the upcoming Blade Runner 2. With Harrison Ford set to reprise his defining role as Deckard and Ryan Gosling teetering on the edge of signing on, the long-gestating sequel certainly gives reason to be hopeful on paper. And in an interview with The National Post, Villeneuve recounted his burning desire to tackle a sci-fi film, and how he holds up Scott’s 1982 original like “a religion.”
“People were asking me, what do you want to do? I said science fiction, always science fiction. I’m dreaming to do science fiction since a very long time. So now that the door is open, I’m just jumping into it. My soul will be filled if I do that. I’m ready to do it because the original ‘Blade Runner’ is by far one of my favourite movies of all time,” he said. “ ‘Blade Runner’ is almost a religion for me.”
While it won’t ultimately be decided until we see his vision on the silver screen, Villeneuve certainly appears to be the right man for the gig, and though there will no doubt be an immense amount of expectation looming over him, we’re holding out hope that the director can shoulder the burden as the project begins to take shape.
Blade Runner 2 is still a ways away, and it’s understood that cameras aren’t poised to start rolling until the summer of 2016. How and ever, as always, we’ll keep you up-to-date with all the developments pertaining to the long-gestating sequel.
