It may have taken a long time for Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner to get the recognition that it deserved, and it initially split critics down the middle and bombed at the box office when it was first released back in 1982, but it’s now regarded as one of the greatest and most influential sci-fi movies ever made.
35 years later after decades stuck in development hell, Denis Villeneuve delivered Blade Runner 2049, which at least managed to score widespread acclaim straight out of the gate. Unfortunately, though, it suffered from the same disappointing commercial performance as its predecessor, and any plans for more adventures were halted when the $185 million blockbuster topped out at $260 million globally.
Of course, there’s no limit to the stories that can be told given the vast thematic and narrative riches found in both feature-length installments, and the latest rumor is claiming that a live-action TV show set in the world of Blade Runner is now in the works. Animated series Black Lotus is already on the way from Crunchyroll and Adult Swim, but a big budget episodic project would certainly grab some headlines should it end up entering active development.
While that’s about as much information as the report gives, in theory, rights holders Alcon Entertainment would presumably sell any potential Blade Runner show off to the highest bidder. Warner Bros. distributed the original and handled the sequel’s domestic rollout, while Sony were also involved internationally, so HBO Max might have an advantage over the competition.
That being said, we’re still a long way away from anything being officially confirmed, so we’ll just have to wait and see how this one plays out, even if it does sound like an exciting prospect.
