“Our future begins with his past.”
That’s the tagline tethered to this electrifying, neon-soaked TV spot for Blade Runner 2049, Denis Villeneuve’s long-in-development sequel that picks up a full 30 years after the original cult classic. We say cult classic because, in truth, Blade Runner didn’t perform all that well during its initial release, and it was only when Ridley Scott released an edited version of his thought-provoking masterclass that BR began to garner the recognition it deserved.
Now, almost four decades later, Villeneuve and his team are about to unveil the next chapter in Rick Deckard’s storied history. As previously reported, Harrison Ford’s former Replicant hunter has been spending his days in a self-imposed exile – until the arrival of K (Ryan Gosling), that is. That steely first meeting, one that introduces the old to the new, takes center stage up above, while there’s also another peek at Jared Leto’s blind replicant creator, Niander Wallace.
Perched at the tip-top of the Tyrell Corporation, Leto is all set to play a hugely significant role in 2049, and the film’s prequel movie does a good job of filling in the gaps between one Blade Runner and the next.
But as Denis Villeneuve reveals to The Wall Street Journal (via Screen Rant), the 30 Seconds to Mars frontman purposely blinded himself via contact lenses during production. Say what you will about Jared Leto, but you can’t fault his commitment to authenticity.
He could not see at all. He was walking with an assistant, very slowly. It was like seeing Jesus walking into a temple. Everybody became super silent, and there was a kind of sacred moment. Everyone was in awe. It was so beautiful and powerful — I was moved to tears.
Dubbed one of the most visually impressive movies of 2017 – not to mention the third most-anticipated fall release, after Thor: Ragnarok and Justice League – Blade Runner 2049 will be with us on October 6th. And let’s just hope it performs better than Alien: Covenant when all is said and done.