Variety brings word today that Suicide Squad‘s Jared Leto has closed a deal to join Blade Runner 2, the long-gestating sequel in the works from Denis Villeneuve (Sicario, Prisoners).
In what is surely the last casting addition to Alcon Entertainment’s production, Leto is bound for a dystopian future that already boasts Harrison Ford as Deckard, Ryan Gosling, Robin Wright, Ana de Armas, Sylvia Hoeks, Carla Juri, Guardians fan-favorite Dave Bautista, Lennie James, and Captain Phillips star Barkhad Abdi among its ranks.
It’s an ensemble big and diverse enough to make any other director go green in the face, and we’re excited to see how Villeneuve wrangles Blade Runner 2 onto the silver screen.
Already in active production – with appropriately tech-noir concept art already emerging – The Nice Guys star Ryan Gosling recently gushed about the long-in-development follow-up while chatting with SciFiNow. Though he refrained from delving into specifics, Gosling stated:
“As an actor, to be part of a project like this is unbelievable. It’s unreal, but they are being very secret about the project. They put a chip in my neck. If I say too much, my head will explode! What can I tell you about it? I can say that Harrison Ford will be in the film, and it’s an extension of the story. It’s not a remake; it’s a sequel.”
Alcon Entertainment has aligned Blade Runner 2 for theatrical release on October 6, 2017. In preparation for the role, director Villeneuve has been busying himself with another sci-fi flick known as Arrival, which rolled out its mystifying full trailer just earlier this week.