Deadline is reporting that Ryan Gosling is in early negotiations to star in the long-awaited sci-fi sequel Blade Runner 2. In February, Prisoners director Denis Villeneuve was confirmed to direct the follow-up with original leading man Harrison Ford set to reprise his role as Rick Deckard. Initial reports indicate that the story details and character descriptions remain under lock and key for now, but it’s believed that Gosling will co-star alongside Ford.
Ridley Scott, who helmed the original, relinquished his spot in the director’s seat but will stay on as an executive producer alongside Thunderbird Films’ Frank Giustra and Tim Gamble. Blade Runner producers Bud Yorkin and Cynthia Sikes Yorkin will return to produce alongside Alcon Entertainment’s Andrew Kosove and Broderick Johnson.
As mentioned above, the story is being kept under wraps, but fans need not worry about whether or not the movie will remain faithful to the mythology of the first. The screenplay, written by Hampton Fancher and Michael Green, was based on a treatment by Scott and Fancher, who together scratched out the legendary script for the 1982 original.
For years, devotees of Scott’s cult noir championed for a sequel. The stronghold of its fanbase has kept the adventures of LAPD cop Rick Deckard and his dealings with the Replicants on the pop culture radar for three decades. Its impressive staying power finally resonated with Alcon, who in 2011 snapped up the prequel and sequel rights. As is often the case with development deals, the fate of Blade Runner 2 seemed as if it would forever remain in limbo. Factoring in today’s news though, which boosts the visibility of the project considerably, we might be in store for more big casting announcements in the coming weeks.
As always, we’ll keep you in the loop when any further developments break.
