Not content with returning to the Alien franchise for this summer’s sci-fi epic Prometheus, British filmmaker Ridley Scott is also busy making plans to revisit the Blade Runner universe and now, according to Twitch Film, star Harrison Ford has entered early negotiations to reprise his role as replicant hunter (and possible replicant) Rick Deckard.
Back in August, producer Andrew Kosove told the Los Angeles Times that the latest Blade Runner would present an entirely new story, sans Ford: “In no way do I speak for Ridley Scott but if you’re asking me will this movie have anything to do with Harrison Ford, the answer is no. This is a total reinvention and in my mind that means doing everything fresh, including casting.” However, if this latest casting rumour proves true, it would seem that Scott has other ideas, whilst also indicating that the director is planning a straight-up sequel to the 1982 cult classic.
The new Blade Runner feature is widely assumed to be Scott’s next film after Prometheus, although the director has recently been linked to Cormac McCarthy’s The Counselor and also has several other projects in the pipeline, including an adaptation of the Cold War-era thriller Child 44, a Gertrude Bell biopic starring Angelina Jolie, and a docudrama based upon the exploits of Simon Mann, an ex-British army officer who led a failed coup against government of Equatorial Guinea. Meanwhile Ford has the baseball drama 42 and sci-fi adventure Ender’s Game on his upcoming slate, while rumours persist that the actor will also be linking up with Steven Spielberg and George Lucas for a fifth outing as Indiana Jones in the somewhat near future.
On a final note, with Scott seemingly intent on revisiting past glories, let’s hope he doesn’t turn his attention to the Nick Cave-scripted Gladiator 2, which would have seen Russell Crowe’s Maximus resurrected by the Roman gods before going on to fight in the likes of World War II and Vietnam.
Originally published February 5, 2012. Updated November 6, 2019.
