It is time for another spinoff: Blade Runner 2099, the miniseries by Prime Video. But, sadly, it's taking its sweet time, though. Here is everything we know so far!
The span from the first to the second movie was 35 years, but this time around, fans won't have to wait quite as long for a new entry in the Blade Runner franchise. The next installment is a TV show spinoff from Amazon, however.
Blade Runner 2099 will tell a new story in the beloved, but harsh universe as a miniseries – courtesy of Prime Video! The title already says it: the sequel will take place a whole fifty years after the last movie. To refresh your memory: in Blade Runner, the name giving detectives need to "retire" (aka "destroy") so-called replicants. Those bioengineered not-really-human humans are nearly identical to the real ones, some have even developed real emotions and desires, leading to the philosophical question: are they real? What even makes humans real?
Did you know that Blade Runner was inspired by the book "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick? Now you do. Check it out here.
You get the idea. And it's thanks to strong themes like those that Blade Runner has become a cult classic among sci-fi fans. All the more reason for Prime to have a go at the franchise!
Ridley Scott Is Back With Blade Runner 2099, But God Knows Who Else
Could you imagine the Blade Runner franchise without Ridley Scott? You don't have to: he'll be back at it again for Blade Runner 2099 as executive producer.
But, that's nearly everything Prime let slip about the upcoming show – Scott himself has compared the miniseries to A Brave New World, leading people to believe that the Wallace Corporation may be an important part of the show, but at this point, we can only speculate.
Talking about speculation: the cast is another thing that's been mostly kept under wraps so far. Considering the whole show takes place fifty years after Blade Runner 2049, chances are we won't see Deckard again – unless...? There is a non-zero chance that Harrison Ford returns, but personally, I wouldn't take any bets on that.
With the fifty-year jump in time, it's more likely that Prime will get a brand-new cast rather than reprise old roles. Cue: Hunter Schafer and Michelle Yeoh!
Prime's Blade Runner Miniseries Gets Delayed
Tale as old as time: the Hollywood strikes from 2023 affected Blade Runner 2099 as well as many other shows and movies, leading to delays all across the industry. This Prime project was no exception to that.
As much as it pains me to tell you, maybe don't hold your breath for Blade Runner 2099: shooting is yet to start. They're currently planning to begin filming in spring, 2024. It would be a little bit too optimistic to hope for a 2024 release, therefore. Our guess is that Blade Runner 2099 will come out some time in 2025.
There hasn't been an official release date shared by Amazon yet, and with filming not even underway yet, we're also still waiting for a teaser trailer.
As soon as there are news regarding the miniseries, you can count on us to keep you updated!