Blade Runner is an Americancyberpunkmedia franchise originating from the 1968 novelDo Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? byPhilip K. Dick, featuring the character ofRick Deckard. The book has been adapted into several media, including films, comics, a stage play, and a radio serial. The first film adaptation wasBlade Runner, directed byRidley Scott in 1982. Although the film initially underperformed at the American box office, it became acult classic, and has had a significant influence on science fiction. A novelization and a comic adaptation of the film were released in the same year. From 1995 to 2000, three novels serving as sequels to bothBlade Runner and the original novel were written byK. W. Jeter, a friend of Dick's. A film sequel toBlade Runner,Blade Runner 2049, was released in 2017. To celebrate the 30th anniversary ofBlade Runner in 2012, ashort film was released, and in the lead up to the release ofBlade Runner 2049, several more short films detailing events that occurred between 2019 and 2049 were released. The influence of the franchise has helped spawn thecyberpunksubgenre.
Since 2011,Blade Runner is a franchise owned in all formats of media byAlcon Entertainment.[1][2]
"Electric sheep. But only sometimes."
A replicant is abioengineered orbioroboticandroid in theBlade Runner franchise. Virtually identical to adult humans, replicants typically have superior strength, agility, and variable intelligence depending on the model. Because of their similarity to humans, a replicant can only be detected by means of the Voight-Kampff test in which emotional responses are provoked; replicants' responses differ from humans' responses. Nexus 6 replicants also have a safety mechanism, namely a four-year lifespan, to prevent them from developing empathic cognition and therefore immunity to a Voight-Kampff machine.Philip K. Dick's novelDo Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, the inspiration forBlade Runner, used the termandroid (or "andy") rather than "replicant";Blade Runner directorRidley Scott requested a new, separate term that did not have preconceptions fromDavid Peoples. As Peoples was rewriting the film's screenplay he consulted his daughter, who was then involved in biochemistry and microbiology, who suggested the term "replicating", the biological process of a cell making a copy of itself. From that, either Peoples or his daughter (each would recall later it was the other) coined the term replicant, which was inserted intoHampton Fancher's screenplay.[4]
In the films and television series, blade runners are plainclothes police officers tasked with hunting and killing replicants. The title character is blade runnerRick Deckard of theLos Angeles Police Department's Replicant Detection Unit. The term comes not from the Philip K. Dick novel but rather a 1979 novella byWilliam S. Burroughs, calledBlade Runner (a movie), itself an adaptation of a Burroughs screenplay of the 1974 novelThe Bladerunner byAlan E. Nourse. Scott optioned the title from Burroughs after it was suggested by screenwriterHampton Fancher.[5]
A very advanced form of lie detector that measures contractions of the iris muscle and the presence of invisible airborne particles emitted from the body. The bellows were designed for the latter function and give the machine the menacing air of a sinister insect. The VK is used primarily by blade runners to determine if a suspect is truly human by measuring the degree of his empathic response through carefully worded questions and statements.
The Voight-Kampff machine is a fictional interrogation tool, originating in the 1968 novelDo Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?. The Voight-Kampff is apolygraph-like machine used by blade runners to determinewhether or not an individual is a replicant. It measures bodily functions such as blush response, respiration, heart rate and eye movement in response to questions dealing with empathy.[6] In the film two replicants take the test, Leon and Rachael, and Deckard tells Tyrell that it usually takes 20 to 30 cross-referenced questions to distinguish a replicant; in contrast with the book, where it is stated it only takes "six or seven" questions to make a determination. InBlade Runner, it takes Deckard more than one hundred questions to determine that Rachael is a replicant.
Spinner is a nickname given for the type of flying car featured throughout theBlade Runner universe; they are seen inBlade Runner andBlade Runner 2049. The police variant of the vehicle in the original movie features a small "Spinner" logo attached to driver's door between "caution" and Japanese "警察" labels; today the model can be seen in SeattleMoPOP. Since the logo was not clearly visible on low-resolution home-video copies, it was often misspelled as "Skimmer", before high-resolution editions of the movie were released. These vehicles can drive on the ground as a normal car, take off vertically, cruise and hover. Spinners use an unspecified form of jet propulsion, similar toVertical Take-Off and Landing aircraft. InBlade Runner, they are used extensively by theLAPD to survey the general population, as well as by wealthy entrepreneurs. The Spinner was designed bySyd Mead. The Spinner has been replicated in films such asBack to the Future Part II,The Fifth Element and theStar Wars prequel trilogy.
Interest in adaptingPhilip K. Dick's novelDo Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? developed shortly after its 1968 publication. DirectorMartin Scorsese was interested in filming the novel, but neveroptioned it.[7] ProducerHerb Jaffe optioned it in the early 1970s, but Dick was unimpressed with the screenplay written by Herb's son Robert: "Jaffe's screenplay was so terribly done ... Robert flew down toSanta Ana to speak with me about the project. And the first thing I said to him when he got off the plane was, 'Shall I beat you up here at the airport, or shall I beat you up back at my apartment?'"[8]
The screenplay byHampton Fancher was optioned in 1977.[9] ProducerMichael Deeley became interested in Fancher's draft and convinced director Ridley Scott to film it. Scott had previously declined the project, but after leaving the slow production ofDune, wanted a faster-paced project to take his mind off his older brother's death.[10] He joined the project on February 21, 1980, and managed to push up the promisedFilmways financing from US$13 million to $15 million. Fancher's script focused more on environmental issues and less on issues of humanity and religion, which are prominent in the novel and Scott wanted changes. Fancher found a cinema treatment byWilliam S. Burroughs forAlan E. Nourse's novelThe Bladerunner (1974), titledBlade Runner (a movie).[nb 2] Scott liked the name, so Deeley obtained the rights to the titles. Eventually he hiredDavid Peoples to rewrite the script and Fancher left the job over the issue on December 21, 1980, although he later returned to contribute additional rewrites.[11]
Having invested over $2.5 million in pre-production,[12] as the date of commencement of principal photography neared, Filmways withdrew financial backing. In ten days Deeley had secured $21.5 million in financing through a three-way deal betweenThe Ladd Company (through Warner Bros.), the Hong Kong-based producerSir Run Run Shaw andTandem Productions.[13]
Philip K. Dick became concerned that no one had informed him about the film's production, which added to his distrust of Hollywood.[14] After Dick criticized an early version of Hampton Fancher's script in an article written for the Los AngelesSelect TV Guide, the studio sent Dick the David Peoples rewrite.[15] Although Dick died shortly before the film's release, he was pleased with the rewritten script and with a 20-minute special effects test reel that was screened for him when he was invited to the studio. Despite his well-known skepticism of Hollywood in principle, Dick enthused to Ridley Scott that the world created for the film looked exactly as he had imagined it.[16] He said, "I saw a segment ofDouglas Trumbull's special effects forBlade Runner on the KNBC-TV news. I recognized it immediately. It was my own interior world. They caught it perfectly." He also approved of the film's script, saying, "After I finished reading the screenplay, I got the novel out and looked through it. The two reinforce each other, so that someone who started with the novel would enjoy the movie and someone who started with the movie would enjoy the novel."[17] The motion picture was dedicated to Dick.[18] Principal photography ofBlade Runner began on March 9, 1981, and ended four months later.[19]
In 1992, Harrison Ford revealed, "Blade Runner is not one of my favorite films. I tangled with Ridley."[20] Apart from friction with the director, Ford also disliked thevoiceovers: "When we started shooting it had been tacitly agreed that the version of the film that we had agreed upon was the version without voiceover narration. It was a f**king [sic] nightmare. I thought that the film had worked without the narration. But now I was stuck re-creating that narration. And I was obliged to do the voiceovers for people that did not represent the director's interests."[21] "I went kicking and screaming to the studio to record it."[22] The narration monologues were written by an uncreditedRoland Kibbee.[23]
In 2006, Scott was asked "Who's the biggest pain in the arse you've ever worked with?", he replied: "It's got to be Harrison ... he'll forgive me because now I get on with him. Now he's become charming. But he knows a lot, that's the problem. When we worked together it was my first film up and I was the new kid on the block. But we made a good movie."[24] Ford said of Scott in 2000: "I admire his work. We had a bad patch there, and I'm over it."[25] In 2006 Ford reflected on the production of the film saying: "What I remember more than anything else when I seeBlade Runner is not the 50 nights of shooting in the rain, but the voiceover ... I was still obliged to work for these clowns that came in writing one bad voiceover after another."[26] Ridley Scott confirmed in the summer 2007 issue ofTotal Film that Harrison Ford contributed to theBlade Runner Special Edition DVD, and had already recorded his interviews. "Harrison's fully on board", said Scott.[27]
TheBradbury Building in downtownLos Angeles served as afilming location, and a Warner Bros.backlot housed the LA 2019 streets. Other locations included theEnnis-Brown House and the2nd Street Tunnel. Test screenings resulted in several changes including adding a voice-over, a happy ending and the removal of a Holden hospital scene. The relationship between the filmmakers and the investors was difficult, which culminated in Deeley and Scott being fired but still working on the film.[28] Crew members created T-shirts during filming saying, "Yes Guv'nor, My Ass" that mocked Scott's unfavorable comparison of U.S. and British crews; Scott responded with a T-shirt of his own, "Xenophobia Sucks" making the incident known as the T-shirt war.[29][30]
In June 2009,The New York Times reported that Scott and his brother, directorTony Scott, were working on a series of 5–10 minute shorts,Purefold, inspired byBlade Runner and aimed first at theweb and then perhaps television. Due to rights problems, the series was not to be linked too closely to the characters or events of the 1982 film.[31] On February 7, 2010, it was announced that production onPurefold had ceased, due to funding problems.
On March 3, 2011, it was reported thatAlcon Entertainment, a production company financed byWarner Bros., was "in final discussions to secure film, television and ancillary franchise rights to produce prequels and sequels to the iconic 1982 science-fiction thrillerBlade Runner."[1] It was also reported that month thatChristopher Nolan was desired as director.[32]
On August 18, 2011, it was announced that Ridley Scott would direct and produce a newBlade Runner film, although work would not begin until at least 2013. ProducerAndrew A. Kosove suggested thatHarrison Ford, who had starred in the original film, was unlikely to be involved.[33][34] Scott said that the film was "liable to be a sequel" but without the previous cast, and that he was close to finding a writer who "might be able to help [him] deliver".[35] On February 6, 2012, Kosove stated: "It is absolutely, patently false that there has been any discussion about Harrison Ford being inBlade Runner. 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 ... The casting of the movie could not be further from our minds at this moment."[36] When Scott was asked about the possibility of a sequel in October 2012, he said, "It's not a rumor—it's happening. With Harrison Ford? I don't know yet. Is he too old? Well, he was a Nexus-6 so we don't know how long he can live. And that's all I'm going to say at this stage."[37]
Scott said in November 2014 that he would not direct the film and would instead produce; that filming would begin in late 2014 or 2015, and that Ford's character would only appear in "the third act" of the sequel.[38] On February 26, 2015, the sequel was confirmed, withDenis Villeneuve as its director. Ford was confirmed to be returning as Deckard; so too Hampton Fancher, one of the two writers of the original film. The film was expected to enter production in mid-2016.[39]
Blade Runner, the first film in the franchise, is a 1982neo-noir science fiction film, serving as a looseadaptation ofPhilip K. Dick's 1968 novelDo Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?.[40][41] The film is set in adystopianLos Angeles of 2019, in which genetically bioengineeredreplicants, which are visually indistinguishable from adult humans, are manufactured by the Tyrell Corporation to work onoff-world colonies. Those that escape and return to Earth are hunted down and "retired" by special police operatives known as "blade runners". The story focuses on burnt-out expert blade runnerRick Deckard, who reluctantly agrees to take on one last assignment to hunt down a group of recently escaped replicants led byRoy Batty. During his investigations, Deckard meetsRachael, an advanced experimental replicant who causes him to question his attitude towards replicants and what it means to be human. StarringHarrison Ford,Rutger Hauer,Sean Young, andEdward James Olmos, it was released in the United States on June 25, 1982. It underperformed in North American theaters, but has since become acult film.[42] The year following its release, the film won the prestigiousHugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation. Hailed for its production design, depicting a "retrofitted" future,[43] it remains a leading example ofneo-noir cinema.[44] Thefilm's soundtrack, composed byVangelis, was critically acclaimed and nominated in 1983 for aBAFTA andGolden Globe as best originalscore. In 1993, the film was selected for preservation in the United StatesNational Film Registry by theLibrary of Congress, being deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".Blade Runner is now regarded by many critics as one of theall-time best science fiction films.
On April 16, 2015,Ryan Gosling entered negotiations for a role in aBlade Runner sequel.[45] Gosling confirmed his casting in November 2015, citing the involvement of Villeneuve and Deakins as factors for his decision.[46] On May 20,Roger Deakins was hired as director of photography.[47] Principal photography was set to begin in July, withWarner Bros. distributing the film domestically andSony Pictures Entertainment handling international release.[48] An official release date of January 12, 2018, was announced on February 18, 2016.[49] When interviewed at the2015 Toronto International Film Festival, Villeneuve disclosed that the plot would include the ambiguity of whether or not Deckard is a human or a replicant.[50] On March 31, 2016,Robin Wright entered final negotiations for a role in the film,[51] and on April 2,Dave Bautista posted a picture of himself with anorigami unicorn, hinting at a role in the film.[52] Bautista and Wright were confirmed to be joining the cast on April 4, and a filming start date of July was established.[53] In late April 2016, the film's release date was moved up to October 6, 2017,[54] as well asAna de Armas andSylvia Hoeks being added to the cast.[55][56]Carla Juri was cast in May 2016.[57] In June,Mackenzie Davis andBarkhad Abdi were cast,[58][59] withDavid Dastmalchian,Hiam Abbass andLennie James joining in July.[60][61]Jared Leto was added to the cast in August.[62] In March 2017,Edward James Olmos confirmed he was in the film in a sequence playing original characterGaff.[63] In September 2015, Warner Bros. trademarked the nameBlade Runner: Androids Dream, prompting speculation that this was the film's title;[64] this was revealed to have been an early title of the film by in October 2017.[65] However, afterprincipal photography began in July 2016 and, as of September 2016, was filming inBudapest, Hungary,[66]Warner Bros. announced the title of the film to beBlade Runner 2049 in October 2016.[67] Shooting ended in November 2016 in Hungary,[68] and the film was released on October 6, 2017.
Over the yearsRidley Scott has expressed interest in making additional films.[69]
Writer of both films Hampton Fancher also revealed that he was considering reviving an old story idea involving Deckard travelling to another country, and Ford said that he would be open to returning if he liked the script.[70] In January 2018, Scott stated that he had "another [story] ready to evolve and be developed, [that] there is certainly one to be done for sure", referring to a thirdBlade Runner film.[71]
In late 2022, it was also announced byAmazon that aBlade Runner 2049 sequel TV series (later titledBlade Runner 2099) would be produced.[72][73]
On August 29, 2017,Denis Villeneuve, director ofBlade Runner 2049, announced that he had organized for two filmmakers to direct several short films exploring incidents that occurred between the events ofBlade Runner andBlade Runner 2049. These films were included as bonus features on most home video releases ofBlade Runner 2049.
On September 26, 2017, the first short film,Blade Runner Black Out 2022, was released onCrunchyroll.[74] It is a prequel to2036: Nexus Dawn and2048: Nowhere to Run, directed byShinichirō Watanabe and produced byCygamesPictures.[75] The film is primarily set in 2022, following anEMP detonation that has caused a global blackout, which has had massive, destructive implications all over the world.[76] During a preview of the film, Watanabe said that the original film was "definitely the movie that influenced me the most as ananime director".[77]Edward James Olmos reprises his role asGaff.[78]
The second short film released in the lead up toBlade Runner 2049,2036: Nexus Dawn, is directed byLuke Scott, who had previously developed short films connecting the events of Ridley Scott filmsPrometheus andAlien: Covenant. The film starsJared Leto as Niander Wallace andBenedict Wong as Lawmaker, following Wallace as he presents a new Nexus-9 replicant to the lawmakers in an attempt to have a prohibition on replicants lifted.[79][80]
The third and final short film,2048: Nowhere to Run, also directed by Scott, followsNexus-8 replicant Sapper Morton (Dave Bautista) as he protects a mother and daughter from thugs.[81]
Blade Runner: Black Lotus is an animated series being produced forAdult Swim andCrunchyroll. It was announced on November 29, 2018,[82][83] and was created in partnership withAlcon Television Group, part ofAlcon Entertainment, the owners of theBlade Runner franchise. It has Shinichirō Watanabe as creative producer.Shinji Aramaki andKenji Kamiyama directed the series, which has 13 episodes. It aired English dubbed on Adult Swim on itsToonami programming block and streamed by Crunchyroll.[82] The series has been produced by Japanese animation studio Sola Digital Arts.[84] It has premiered on November 14, 2021.[85]
The series takes place in the year 2032[82] and includes "familiar" characters from theBlade Runner universe.[86] The series is set ten years after the anime shortBlade Runner Black Out 2022.[87]
In November 2021, Ridley Scott stated that apilot for aBlade Runner television series and theshow's bible had been written, with the project likely set to consist of ten hour-long episodes.[88] In February 2022, the series was officially announced to be in development, with the title ofBlade Runner 2099 and it was being developed forAmazon Prime Video. Silka Luisa has signed onto the project as writer, and executive producer. Ridley Scott,Andrew Kosove,Broderick Johnson, Michael Green, Ben Roberts,Cynthia Yorkin,David W. Zucker, and Clayton Krueger will serve as additional executive producers. Scott is in early negotiations to serve as director for the episodes. On September 15, 2022, Amazon ordered it as a miniseries.[89] It is intended to be released viastreaming as anAmazon Prime Video exclusive.[90][91][92] The project is being developed as a joint-venture production between Scott Free Productions,Amazon Studios, andAlcon Entertainment. Canadian directorJeremy Podeswa will direct the pilot episode, and will also be an executive producer and a producing director for the series.[93] In February 2024, Jonathan van Tulleken was reportedly tapped to direct the first two episodes, replacing Podeswa who had stepped down due to scheduling conflicts. Van Tulleken will also serve as an executive producer. Production, originally scheduled for summer 2023 inBelfast but postponed earlier that May due to theWriters Guild of America strike, has been relocated toPrague and began in April 2024.[94] In May,Michelle Yeoh was cast in a lead role[95] and in June,Hunter Schafer joined the cast.[96]Blade Runner 2099 is scheduled to premiere on Amazon Prime Video in 2026.[97]
This table shows the characters and the actors who have portrayed them throughout the franchise. A dark grey cell indicates the character was not in the production, or that the character's presence in the production has not yet been announced.
| Role | Films | Short films | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blade Runner (1982) | Blade Runner 2049 (2017) | 2036: Nexus Dawn (2017) | 2048: Nowhere to Run (2017) | Blade Runner Black Out 2022 (2017) | |
| Director(s) | Ridley Scott | Denis Villeneuve | Luke Scott | Shinichirō Watanabe | |
| Screenwriter(s) | David Peoples Hampton Fancher | Michael Green Hampton Fancher | Shinichirō Watanabe | ||
| Producer(s) | Michael Deeley | Bud Yorkin Andrew A. Kosove Broderick Johnson Cynthia Sikes Yorkin | Joseph Chou Shun Kashima Nobuhiro Takenaka Al-Francis Cuenca | ||
| Composer(s) | Vangelis | Hans Zimmer Benjamin Wallfisch | Blitz//Berlin | Flying Lotus | |
| Cinematography | Jordan Cronenweth | Roger Deakins | Shukou Murase | ||
| Editor(s) | Terry Rawlings Marsha Nakashima | Joe Walker | Kiyoshi Hirose | ||
| Production companies | Shaw Brothers The Ladd Company Blade Runner Partnership | Torridon Films Columbia Pictures 16:14 Entertainment Alcon Entertainment Scott Free Productions Thunderbird Entertainment | Columbia Pictures Alcon Entertainment Scott Free Productions Thunderbird Entertainment | CygamesPictures Alcon Entertainment | |
| Distributor | Warner Bros. | Warner Bros. Sony Pictures | Warner Bros. Sony Pictures (viaYouTube) | Warner Bros. (viaCrunchyroll & YouTube)[99] | |
| U.S. release date | June 25, 1982 | October 6, 2017 | August 30, 2017 | September 16, 2017 | September 27, 2017 |
| Duration | 117 minutes | 163 minutes | 6 minutes | 6 minutes | 15 minutes |
Philip K. Dick refused a $400,000 offer to write aBlade Runnernovelization, saying: "[I was] told the cheapo novelization would have to appeal to the twelve-year-old audience" and it "would have probably been disastrous to me artistically". He added, "That insistence on my part of bringing out the original novel and not doing the novelization – they were just furious. They finally recognized that there was a legitimate reason for reissuing the novel, even though it cost them money. It was a victory not just of contractual obligations but of theoretical principles."[17]Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? was eventually reprinted as atie-in, with the film poster as a cover and the original title in parentheses below theBlade Runner title.[100] Eventually, a novelization of the movie entitledBlade Runner: A Story of the Future, written by Les Martin, was released in 1982.[101]
In 1994,K. W. Jeter, a personal friend ofPhilip K. Dick, began developing a series ofBlade Runner novels that would serve as a continuation of both the filmBlade Runner, and the novel upon which it was based,Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?. The first of these novels,Blade Runner 2: The Edge of Human, was published on October 1, 1995. The novel was set several months after the events ofBlade Runner, following Deckard living in an isolated shack outside ofLos Angeles, with Rachael with him in a Tyrell transport container, intended to slow down the replicant aging process. Deckard is called in by the human template of Rachael, Sarah Tyrell, to hunt down a missing replicant in exchange for technology allowing Rachael to live. Meanwhile, Roy Batty, the human template for thereplicant of the same name, hires Dave Holden, a blade runner previously attacked by Leon, to help him hunt down the man that he believes to be the sixth replicant – Deckard.
In 1996,K. W. Jeter publishedscience fiction novelBlade Runner 3: Replicant Night, the sequel toBlade Runner 2: The Edge of Human. The novel followsRick Deckard, now living onMars, as he is acting as a consultant to a film crew filmingthe story of his days as a blade runner. He finds himself drawn into a mission on behalf of thereplicants he was once assigned to kill. Meanwhile, the mystery surrounding the beginnings of the Tyrell Corporation is being dragged out into the light.
Blade Runner 4: Eye and Talon, also known asBlade Runner 4: Beyond Orion, is the third novel written byK. W. Jeter that continues the storyline started in the 1982Blade Runner film. The novel was published in 2000. The story takes place concurrently with the events ofBlade Runner 3: Replicant Night, following Iris, a Blade Runner who has been sent on an assignment to find Eldon Tyrell's "real owl", which appears to have special significance to the Tyrell Corporation and other organizations.
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| Year | Title | Genre | Developer | Publisher | Platform(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Blade Runner | Action | Andy Stodart, Ian Foster | CRL Group PLC | Commodore 64,ZX Spectrum,Amstrad CPC |
| 1997 | Blade Runner | Point-and-click | Westwood Studios | Virgin Interactive | Windows,Macintosh,Linux,ScummVM |
| 2018 | Blade Runner: Revelations | Virtual reality | Seismic Games | Alcon Entertainment | Google Daydream |
| TBA | Blade Runner 2033: Labyrinth | Adventure | Annapurna Games | Annapurna Interactive | Windows |
There are fourvideo games based onBlade Runner:one from 1985 forCommodore 64,ZX Spectrum, andAmstrad CPC by CRL Group PLC based on the music by Vangelis (due to licensing issues),another adventure PC game from 1997 byWestwood Studios, anda VR game from 2018 by Seismic Games. Both the 1997 and 2018 video games feature new characters and branching storylines based on theBlade Runner world. Eldon Tyrell, Gaff, Leon, Rachael, Chew, J. F. Sebastian and Howie Lee appear in the 1997 video game, their voice files are recorded by the original actors, with the exception of Gaff, who is replaced by Javier Grajeda (asVictor Gardell) and Howie Lee, who is replaced by Toru Nagai.[102] The player assumes the role of McCoy, another replicant-hunter working at the same time as Deckard.[102][103][104] Gaff and Dave Holden both appear in the 2018 game, voiced respectively byKirk Thornton and Steve Prince, whileCarolyn Hennesy voices Lilith Tyrell, niece of Eldon Tyrell; Lilith previously appeared inBlade Runner in photographic form, actress unaccredited.[citation needed]
The PC game and VR game feature a non-linear plot,non-player characters that each ran in their own independentAI, and an unusual pseudo-3D engine (which eschewed polygonal solids in favor ofvoxel elements) that did not require the use of a 3D accelerator card to play the game.[105]
Atabletop role-playing game,Blade Runner: The Roleplaying Game, released in 2022.[106][107]
Archie Goodwin scripted the comic book adaptation ofBlade Runner, entitledA Marvel Comics Super Special: Blade Runner, published in September 1982[108] as the twenty-second issue of theMarvel Comics Super Special series of titles which, by the year 1982, only printed adaptations of films Marvel had obtained the rights to. It was later reprinted as a two-part miniseries, without the feature content contained in the special. In some printings, several pages of the comic were published out of order. Other printing set these pages in the correct order. In theUK it was reprinted as theBlade Runner Annual published by Grandreams. Again, the feature content of the original special was not reprinted.[109] The trade paperback was published in black and white and contains images from the film; it is one of the rarest Marvel Comics trades ever.[110]
The book was poorly received upon its initial release. It was ridiculed for what the critics perceived as bad writing and misquoted lines of dialogue from the film.[111][112]
In 2009,BOOM! Studios publishedDo Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, a 24 issuecomic booklimited series and direct adaptation ofPhilip K. Dick'snovel by the same name. The series was drawn by Tony Parker, and was nominated for anEisner Award in the category Best New Series. The characters in the adaptation were drawn in similar styles to the versions of the characters as presented inthe original 1982 film.[113]
In 2010,BOOM! Studios publishedDust to Dust, an 8-issuecomic booklimited series serving as aprequel to the events of bothDo Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (1968),Blade Runner (1982) andDo Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (2009).[114][115] The series was written byChris Roberson and drawn by Robert Adler,[116][117] detailing the days after World War Terminus. The series was marketed with a sneak peek of an eight-page digital preview which was released oniPad,iPhone andiPod Touch.[118]
Three sequences of comics were released covering the life of LAPD detective Aahna Ashina, titledBlade Runner 2019,Blade Runner 2029 andBlade Runner 2039.
All three volumes were edited by David Leach, written by Mike Johnson (WithMichael Green, the screenwriter forBladerunner 2049 writing with Green forBlade Runner 2019, and Mellow Brown writing with Green on the first issues ofBlade Runner 2039), drawn by Andres Guinaldo, colored by Marco Lesko and lettered by Jim Campbell.
On October 4, 2018,The Hollywood Reporter published an announcement about a newBlade Runner comic series that would be set in the film universe. The comic was co-written by Michael Green (who had worked on the second film) together with Mike Johnson, who scripted the comic.[119] The first issue was released on July 17, 2019, with the twelfth and final issue released on November 18, 2020. The comic was collected into three volumes, with the first released on November 20, 2019, and the last on February 24, 2021.
On December 16, 2020, a sequel toBlade Runner 2019 was released, continuing the 2019 series of comics. Titan Comics again were publishing.[120][121]
On March 10, 2021,Blade Runner Origins was released by Titan Comics. Written by Mike Johnson, K. Perkins, and Mellow Brown, it is set in 2009, ten years beforeBlade Runner.[122]
In June 2024, editor David Leach indicated that there would be a second set of comics ("Blade Runner Origins: Cascade Year 2"),[123] but no date has been set for this as of October 2024.
On April 28, 2022,Blade Runner: Black Lotus was released by Titan Comics. Written by Nancy Collins, it is set after the events of theBlade Runner: Black Lotus animated series.[124]
The collected version of the series was released under the titleBlade Runner: Black Lotus - Leaving L.A. The first volume ran from August 10, 2022 to November 2, 2022. In February 2024, the editor, David Leach, confirmed on Twitter that a second volume would be released in 2025.[125]
On December 7, 2022,Blade Runner 2039 was released by Titan Comics. Written by Mike Johnson, it is set ten years afterBlade Runner 2029 and completed the Aahna Ashina series.[126]
On July 31, 2024,Blade Runner: Tokyo Nexus was released by Titan Comics. Written by Kianna Shore and Mellow Brown, it is set in 2015, 4 years beforeBlade Runner and 6 years afterBlade Runner Origins.[127]
Before filming ofBlade Runner began,Cinefantastique magazine commissioned Paul M. Sammon to write an article aboutBlade Runner's production. This article became the bookFuture Noir: The Making of Blade Runner.[128]The book chroniclesBlade Runner's evolution, focusing on film-set politics, especially the British director's experiences with his first American film crew; of which producerAlan Ladd, Jr. has said, "Harrison wouldn't speak to Ridley and Ridley wouldn't speak to Harrison. By the end of the shoot Ford was 'ready to kill Ridley', said one colleague. He really would have taken him on if he hadn't been talked out of it."[129]Future Noir has short cast biographies and quotations about their experiences, and photographs of the film's production and preliminary sketches. A second edition ofFuture Noir was published in 2007.[130] To promote the then-upcomingBlade Runner 2049,Future Noir Revised & Updated Edition: The Making of Blade Runner was re-released on September 13, 2017.[131]
A behind-the-scenes guide to the film by Tanya Lapointe.[132][133]
The film has been the subject of a number of documentaries.
In the 2000s, Scott proposed a sequel toBlade Runner, entitledMetropolis. The project never came to fruition due to rights issues.[139]
In June 2009,The New York Times reported that Scott and his brother, directorTony Scott, were working on a series of 5–10 minute shorts,Purefold, inspired byBlade Runner and aimed first at theweb and then perhaps television. Due to rights problems, the series was not to be linked too closely to the characters or events of the 1982 film.[31] On February 7, 2010, it was announced that production onPurefold had ceased, due to funding problems.
TheBlade Runner soundtrack byVangelis is a dark melodic combination of classic composition and futuristic synthesizers which mirrors the film-noir retro-future envisioned by Ridley Scott. Vangelis, fresh from hisAcademy Award-winning score forChariots of Fire,[140] composed and performed the music on his synthesizers.[141] He also made use of various chimes and the vocals of collaboratorDemis Roussos.[142] Another memorable sound is the haunting tenor sax solo "Love Theme" by British saxophonistDick Morrissey, who performed on many of Vangelis's albums. Ridley Scott also used "Memories of Green" from the Vangelis albumSee You Later,an orchestral version of which Scott would later use in his filmSomeone to Watch Over Me.[143]
Along with Vangelis' compositions and ambient textures, the film's soundscape also features a track by the Japanese ensemble Nipponia – "Ogi No Mato" or "The Folding Fan as a Target" from the Nonesuch Records releaseTraditional Vocal and Instrumental Music – and a track by harpist Gail Laughton from "Harps of the Ancient Temples" on Laurel Records.[144]
Despite being well received by fans and critically acclaimed and nominated in 1983 for aBAFTA andGolden Globe for Best Original Score, and the promise of a soundtrack album fromPolydor Records in the end titles of the film, the release of the official soundtrack recording was delayed for over a decade. There are two official releases of the music fromBlade Runner. In light of the lack of a release of an album, theNew American Orchestra recorded an orchestral adaptation in 1982 which bore little resemblance to the original. Some of the film tracks would, in 1989, surface on the compilationVangelis: Themes, but not until the 1992 release of theDirector's Cut version would a substantial amount of the film's score see commercial release.[142]
These delays and poor reproductions led to the production of manybootleg recordings over the years. A bootleg tape surfaced in 1982 at science fiction conventions and became popular given the delay of an official release of the original recordings, and in 1993, Off World Music, Ltd created a bootleg CD that would prove more comprehensive than Vangelis' official CD in 1994.[142] A set with three CDs ofBlade Runner-related Vangelis music was released in 2007. TitledBlade Runner Trilogy, the first disc contains the same tracks as the 1994 official soundtrack release, the second features previously unreleased music from the film, and the third disc is all newly composed music from Vangelis, inspired by, and in the spirit of the film.[145]
Jóhann Jóhannsson, who had worked with Villeneuve onPrisoners,Sicario, andArrival, was initially announced as composer forBlade Runner 2049.[146] However, Villeneuve and Jóhannsson decided to end the collaboration because Villeneuve felt the film "needed something different, and I needed to go back to something closer to Vangelis's soundtrack".[147] New composersHans Zimmer andBenjamin Wallfisch joined in July 2017. In September, Jóhannsson's agent confirmed that he was no longer involved and that he was contractually forbidden from commenting on the situation.[148]
According toEpic Records, Zimmer and Wallfisch sought to continue the legacy of the originalBlade Runner score by incorporating theYamaha CS-80 synthesizer. Zimmer has said of the soundtrack: "First of all, I realized that Denis [Villeneuve] is a director who has a vision; he has a voice. Remember, I've done a lot of movies with Ridley Scott. So, it was important that this was an autonomous piece of work. Let's just be honest. Ridley is a hard act to follow—as is Vangelis. While Ben [Wallfisch] was four-years-old, I had actually experienced all of this. We watched and literally, as we stopped watching, we decided on the palette. We decided this wasn't going to be an orchestral thing. The story spoke to us."[149]
TheBlade Runner 2049 soundtrack was released on October 5, 2017, and was nominated for theBAFTA Award for Best Film Music at the71st British Academy Film Awards.[150]
| Film | Release date | Box office gross | Box office ranking | Budget | Reference | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North America | Other territories | Worldwide | All time US and Canada | All time worldwide | ||||
| Blade Runner | June 25, 1982 | $32,868,943 | — | $32,868,943 | 2,517 | — | $28 million | [151] |
| Blade Runner 2049 | October 6, 2017 | $92,071,675 | $175,399,033 | $267,570,708 | 806 | 564 | $150 million | [152] |
| Total | $124,254,197 | $167,185,499 | $292,108,601 | $178 million | ||||
| Film | Rotten Tomatoes | Metacritic | CinemaScore |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blade Runner | 89% (8.50/10 average rating) (126 reviews)[153] | 84 (15 reviews)[154] | — |
| Blade Runner 2049 | 88% (8.30/10 average rating) (444 reviews)[155] | 81 (54 reviews)[156] | A−[157] |
While not initially a success with North American audiences, the film was popular internationally and garnered acult following.[158] The film's dark style and futuristic designs have served as a benchmark and its influence can be seen in many subsequent science fiction films,video games,anime, and television programs.[159] For example,Ronald D. Moore andDavid Eick, the producers of the re-imagining ofBattlestar Galactica, have both citedBlade Runner as one of the major influences for the show.[160]Blade Runner continues to reflect modern trends and concerns, and an increasing number consider it one of the greatest science fiction films of all time.[161] It was voted the best science fiction film ever made in a poll of 60 eminent world scientists conducted in 2004.[162]Blade Runner is also cited as an important influence to both the style and story of theGhost in the Shell film series, which itself has been highly influential to the future-noir genre.[163][164]
Blade Runner has been very influential to thecyberpunk movement.[165][166][167][168] It also influenced thecyberpunk derivativebiopunk that revolves around biotechnology andgenetic engineering.[169][170]
The film was selected for preservation in the United StatesNational Film Registry in 1993 and is used in university courses.[171] In 2007 it was named the second-most visually influential film of all time by theVisual Effects Society.[172]
Blade Runner is one of the most musicallysampled films of the 20th century.[173] The 2009 album,I, Human, by Singaporean bandDeus Ex Machina makes numerous references to the genetic engineering and cloning themes from the film, and even features a track titled "Replicant".[174]
Blade Runner has influencedadventure games such as the 2012 graphicaltext adventureCypher,[175]Rise of the Dragon,[176][177]Snatcher,[177][178] theTex Murphy series,[179]Beneath a Steel Sky,[180]Flashback: The Quest for Identity,[177]Bubblegum Crisis (and its original anime films),[181][182] therole-playing gameShadowrun,[177] thefirst-person shooterPerfect Dark,[183] and theSyndicate series of video games.[184][185] The film is also cited as a major influence onWarren Spector,[186] designer of the computer-gameDeus Ex, which displays evidence of the film's influence in both its visual rendering and plot. The look of the film, darkness, neon lights and opacity of vision, is easier torender than complicated backdrops, making it a popular choice for game designers.[103][104]
Blade Runner has also been the subject of parody, such as the comicsBlade Bummer byCrazy comics,[187]Bad Rubber bySteve Gallacci,[188] and theRed Dwarf 2009 three-part miniseries, "Back to Earth".[189]
Among the folklore that has developed around the film over the years has been the belief that the film was a curse to the companies whose logos were displayed prominently asproduct placements in some scenes.[190] While they were market leaders at the time,Atari,Bell,Cuisinart andPan Am experienced setbacks after the film's release.The Coca-Cola Company suffered losses during its failed introduction ofNew Coke in 1985, but soon afterwards regained its market share.[191]
Oscar Pistorius, the double-amputee who dazzled the world by running in the2012 Olympics onblade-like prosthetic legs, was given the nickname "Blade Runner" by the media for "literally running on blades",[192][193] leading him to later title his autobiographyBlade Runner: My Story.[194]
Media recognitions forBlade Runner include:
| Year | Presenter | Title | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | The Village Voice | 100 Best Films of the 20th Century | 94 | [195] |
| 2002 | Online Film Critics Society (OFCS) | Top 100 Sci-fi Films of the Past 100 Years | 2 | [196] |
| Sight & Sound | Sight & Sound Top Ten Poll 2002 | 45 | [197] | |
| 50 Klassiker, Film | None | [198] | ||
| 2003 | 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die | [199] | ||
| Entertainment Weekly | The Top 50 Cult Movies | 9 | [200] | |
| 2004 | The Guardian, scientists | Top 10 Sci-fi Films of All Time | 1 | [201][202][203] |
| 2005 | Total Film's editors | 100 Greatest Movies of All Time | 47 | [204] |
| Time's critics | "All-Time" 100 Best Movies | None | [205][206][207] | |
| 2008 | New Scientist | All-time favorite science fiction film (readers and staff) | 1 | [208][209] |
| Empire | The 500 Greatest Movies of All Time | 20 | [210] | |
| 2010 | IGN | Top 25 Sci-Fi Movies of All Time | 1 | [211] |
| Total Film | 100 Greatest Movies of All Time | None | [212] | |
| 2012 | Sight & Sound | Sight & Sound 2012 critics top 250 films | 69 | [213] |
| Sight & Sound | Sight & Sound 2012 directors top 100 films | 67 | [214] | |
| 2014 | Empire | The 301 Greatest Movies of All Time | 11 | [215] |
| 2018 | IGN | The 25 Best Sci Fi Movies | 2 | [216] |
Soldier is a 1998 Americanscience fictionaction film directed byPaul W. S. Anderson and written byDavid Peoples (credited as David Webb Peoples). The film tells the story of a highly skilled genetically-advanced soldier defying his commanders and facing a relentless and brutal rival soldier. In the DVD commentary ofSoldier, Peoples revealed that he had written the film's script in 1982, during production ofBlade Runner.[217] In 1998, while promotingSoldier (then recently released), Peoples then revealed that he had writtenSoldier as a "spin-offsidequel-spiritual successor" toBlade Runner, seeing both films as existing in thesamefictional universe.[218][219] The film obliquely refers to various elements of stories written byPhilip K. Dick, and film adaptations thereof. Connections toBlade Runner in the film are as follows:
The television seriesTotal Recall 2070 was initially planned as aspin-off of the filmTotal Recall, and would eventually be transformed into a hybrid ofTotal Recall andBlade Runner.[222] TheTotal Recall film was also based on a Philip K. Dick story, "We Can Remember It for You Wholesale"; many similarities betweenTotal Recall 2070 andBlade Runner were noted, as well as apparent inspiration fromIsaac Asimov'sThe Caves of Steel and the TV seriesHolmes & Yoyo.[223]
Debates by the movie press and science fiction communities have suggested theBlade Runner andAlien films (at least those in whichRidley Scott is involved) may share a joint universe. Recent franchise installments (Prometheus andAlien: Covenant) lean heavily toward the themes ofartificial intelligence andhumanoid robots as opposed to 'creature features'. The tone ofAlien: Covenant in particular has been noted as having a much moreBlade Runner thanAlien feel to it. A joint universe has not been publicly endorsed by Ridley Scott though he has indicated futureAlien films will lean further towards the use of A.I.[224][225][226] In bothAlien andBlade Runner films are also multiple references and hidden clues referencing each other.[227][228]
On December 12, 2012, in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the release ofBlade Runner,Joanna Cassidy, who portrayed thereplicantZhora Salome in the film, released a short film on herYouTube channel entitledWhat Might Have Been: Snake Dance.[229] Directed byTamela D'Amico, based on an unfilmed scene fromBlade Runner written byHampton Fancher andDavid Peoples, with Cassidy reprising her role as Zhora, the film depicts the replicant performing the "snake dance", a dance Salome was stated to do for a living inBlade Runner. The song "Touched a Dream" byR. Kelly plays over the course of the film. The film, set shortly before the events of the original 1982 film, originated from Cassidy's infrequent unsuccessful requests to have the "snake dance" scene mentioned inBlade Runner filmed forBlade Runner: The Final Cut; despite this, Cassidy was successful in having Zhora's death scene refilmed, as a stunt double had filmed the scene in the theatrical version of the film.[230]
Blade Runner – The Aquarelle Edition is a 2013 film reinterpretation ofBlade Runner (1982). Running 35 minutes, the film follows the general storyline of the original film while taking certain liberties, with the film creator, Anders Ramsell referring to the film as a "paraphrase" of the originalBlade Runner.[231] The animated film, developed over the course of one and a half years, consists of 12,597 handmadeaquarelle paintings. Archival audio from various characters fromBlade Runner is reused during the film. Critic Mike Krumboltz observed of the film: the "result is like aMonet painting come to dystopian life".[232]
Tears in the Rain is a 2017 short film set in the fictional universe established byBlade Runner (1982), set before the events of the film.[233] Written and directed by Christopher Grant Harvey on a budget of $1,500,[234]Tears in the Rain follows John Kampff (Sean Cameron Michael), the future inventor of the Voight-Kampff machine, as he heads up the Tyrell Retirement Division. Following the recent rebellion of Nexus-3 replicants off-world, Kampff confronts Nexus-3 Andy Smith (Russel Savadier) a replicant janitor unaware of his true nature, as his body is about to shut down.[235] Eleven minutes and eleven seconds in length, the film has won multiple awards.[236]
Slice of Life is a short film set in the fictional universe established byBlade Runner (1982), set in 2019, the same year as the events ofBlade Runner. The film was developed over the course of three years, directed by Luka Hrgović and written by Anton Svetić. All special effects inSlice of Life are made using miniatures, back projections, matte paintings and practical effects. The film is approximately 25 minutes long. Although described as a fan movie,Slice of Life does not include Rick Deckard. It is simply an homage, using the same universe and telling its own original story with original characters. The film follows "low-life drug dealer who tries to turn his life around, but finds himself at the mercy of fate when he encounters a cop with an agenda of his own".[237]
Due to its dystopian themes, elements and scenes from the franchise have been used on social media platforms as Internet Memes.[238]
Starting 2020, a scene from 2017 film Blade Runner 2049 in which the protagonist K (Ryan Gosling), silently watches a giant holographic advertisement after having been badly injured became an Internet Meme expressing sadness and despair. The scene circulated as an exploitable, with K and Joi usually replaced with other characters.[239]
Alcon owns the "Blade Runner" IP.
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