Fans weren’t overly enthused by the prospect of a sequel to Ridley Scott’s seminal sci-fi classic, but when it was announced that Denis Villeneuve (Sicario, Arrival) was coming on board to direct Blade Runner 2049, many softened their stance. An atmospheric first teaser that recalled the aesthetics of the original also helped considerably, but since then we’ve been waiting anxiously for a full trailer so we can get a better idea of the all-important plot.
That preview is on the way (apparently), but until it arrives we have an in-depth breakdown of some new footage that screened at CinemaCon last night. Star Ryan Gosling introduced the extended preview, which gave those in attendance a first look at the mysterious new character played by Suicide Squad actor Jared Leto.
Per Variety:
The extended preview that the actor brought with him to Las Vegas stunned the crowd, featuring an apocalyptic Los Angeles and Las Vegas filled with snow, dust storms, and dazed looking androids, all of it created in Budapest. There were also several visual callbacks to sequences and sets from the first picture that are sure to tickle fans … The new footage showed more of Harrison Ford’s Rick Deckard and Gosling’s Officer K, as well as a creepy look at Jared Leto, playing a manufacturer of replicants with a daddy complex. In one shot, Leto lovingly caresses a naked android, who appears to have been doused in amniotic fluid.
There was speculation that Leto might be playing a replicant character in the vein of Rutger Hauer’s Roy Batty, but it seems he’ll actually be portraying a somewhat disturbed human. Of course, the first film famously played the “is he or isn’t he an android” game with Harrison Ford’s protagonist, so it’s best not to take anything at face value when it comes to the sequel.
Blade Runner 2049 opens on October 6th and also stars Ana de Armas, Sylvia Hoeks, Robin Wright, Mackenzie Davis and Dave Bautista. There are rumors that one of the original replicant characters will be making a comeback as well, but as of now that remains unconfirmed.
