Corona | Coming Attractions

First the story was that Harrison Ford was being approached to star in a new Blade Runner movie. Then the story was officially denied by one of the film's producers. Now the director of that iconic 1982 science fiction movie has gone on the record to speak about the gossip, and the answer that Ridley Scott gave about the possibility of Ford returning to the world of replicants is somewhere in-between the two extremes.

Scott told EW that no decision has been made yet about the storyline for this new Blade Runner; it could evolve into a prequel set before the 2019 storyline of the '82 movie or afterwards, making it a true sequel. "We’re still in discussions about whether it should be a prequel or sequel," Scott said of the current state of the movie. "It's an interesting conversation. I’m meeting with writers and I’ve also gone back to [original Blade Runner screenwriter] Hampton Fancher and he still speaks the speak. He’s right there. I spoke with him this week. But we don’t even have a script yet."

So what about the rumor that Harrison Ford has been approached to star in the film, even at this early stage of its development?  On that matter Ridley was adamant. "Absolutely not. But I’m not sure that that’s going to be a story point, so I don’t know. But if it were, nothing would please me more. Honestly."

So, no discussions with Ford but Scott is open to the idea of bringing the 69-year-old actor back in a possible Blade Runner sequel. But why return at all to the Blade Runner universe? That question was popped to the director who answered, "I just thought Prometheus was so enjoyable — returning to the world of science fiction was so fun — that I wanted to [go back to Blade Runner, too]. I’m also thinking about what the hell I might do for a Prometheus 2." [Full story]

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As Ridley Scott puts the post-production work on Prometheus, a tantalazing rumor surfaced two days ago on Twitchfilm that ignited the online community. Could the makers of the new Blade Runner movie be in talks with none other than Harrison Ford? And if so, as the site claimed was happening, what would Ford do in the movie? Would that make the new Blade Runner flick a sequel, or would the nearly 70-year-old actor be cast in a different part than his noir detective Rick Deckard?

The story takes a different turn today as Deadline reached producer Andrew Kosove at Alcon Entertainment and got him to deny Twitchfilm's report. "It is absolutely patently false that there has been any discussion about Harrison Ford being in Blade Runner," Kosove said about the rumor. "To be clear, what we are trying to do with Ridley now is go through the painstaking process of trying to break the back of the story, figure out the direction we’re going to take the movie and find a writer to work on it. The casting of the movie could not be further from our minds at this moment."

Kosove did leave the door open that a deal could be reached with Ford to star in the new Blade Runner movie, but that the chances of the stars aligning in that particular arrangment was "quite unlikely." So why did Twitchfilm say very clearly that talks were happening with Ford to star in the picture? Was their source in error?

As this new Blade Runner movie slowly coagulates together, at least the Ford rumor got one of its key creative personnel to give us an update on what the project's status was. And if this next statement from Kosove could be taken at face value, if/when the new Blade Runner starts shooting it'll be very similar in its story approach to the movie that Ridley Scott is currently cutting. "What Ridley does in Prometheus is a good template for what we’re trying to do. He created something that has some association to the original Alien, but lives on its own as a standalone movie."

[Full story]

- Twitchfilm, Deadline. Comment on this Scoop (0)

Ridley Scott will return back to the universe of replicants, spinner cars and rain-soaked streets. Scott will direct and produce a new movie set within the Blade Runner world, though details on whether the story will be a sequel to the 1982 movie, a prequel or one featuring a new set of characters remains unknown right now.

Also returning is original Blade Runner producer Bud Yorkin. Alcon Entertainment is producing the movie and they have a deal at Warner Bros., making this new Blade Runner film a go for being released under the WB shield. Also producing are Alcon execs Broderick Johnson and Andrew Kosove; Cynthia Sikes Yorkin; and Ridley Scott too. Executive producer credits will be given to Frank Giustra and Tim Gamble of Thunderbird Films. [Full story]

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