With Exodus: Gods and Kings about to storm into theaters, Ridley Scott’s been doing an awful lot of gum-flapping lately. We know he wants to introduce a new, unexpected creature in the third act of Prometheus 2. We know Harrison Ford will be in the Blade Runner sequel. We know Scott’s about to go help Matt Damon play his Interstellar character again, on a different planet. But with so many irons in the fire, could he ever pull it all off?
That answer is no, direct from Scott himself, in a new interview with Variety. Here’s the quote:
When The Martian wraps later this winter, Scott already has a fair idea what he’ll be doing next, though it likely won’t be the much-anticipated Blade Runner sequel he developed with the original film’s co-screenwriter, Hampton Fancher. “We talked at length about what it could be, and came up with a pretty strong three-act storyline, and it all makes sense in terms of how it relates to the first one,” says Scott, who adds that fans can expect to see Harrison Ford back in the saddle as the futuristic gumshoe Rick Deckard. “Harrison is very much part of this one, but really it’s about finding him; he comes in in the third act.” Per Scott, that Alcon Entertainment production should go before the cameras within the next year, but with someone else directing (he’ll produce).
I’m still totally conflicted on the idea of a Blade Runner sequel. There’s a portion of my brain that’s actively crushing a reflexive shout of “NO!!”, but I’m also curious as hell. I’m glad the story won’t completely focus on Deckard. The universe is too big a playground to ignore. There’s too much fun to be had elsewhere. It looks like it’s really coming together, but who could direct such a film? Neill Blomkamp? Francis Lawrence? Joe Kosinski? I know you can come up with better names! Put ’em in the comments!