It’s Too Soon For Another Blade Runner Release, Especially A TV Series

Summary

Blade Runner franchise had box office struggles despite critical acclaim.
Blade Runner 2099 may limit Blade Runner 2049’s potential as a cult classic.
Transitioning Blade Runner to television may compromise its iconic visuals.

Prime Video is set to be welcoming a new installment of the Blade Runner franchise in the form of a limited series titled Blade Runner 2099, that could be streaming as early as 2025. Few details are confirmed at this point, and no official trailer or other forms of footage have been released to the public so far. It has been confirmed that the series will star Hunter Schafer and Michelle Yeoh, two big industry names and talented actresses.

It’s too soon to make any judgments on the series itself, because very little is known at this point. However, itcould be argued that a limited series is too soon and not the right move for the Blade Runner universe. And with neither Ridley Scott nor Denis Villeneuve set to have a direct involvement in the outcome of the upcoming limited series, some fans may be skeptical at this point.

Blade Runner 2099 TV Series Amazon Delayed Writers Strike

The Blade Runner 2099 Series Is Going ‘Less 2049, More OG’ And That’s Exactly What It Needs

The upcoming Amazon miniseries will reportedly mimic the 1982 film’s style, not 2049. This choice could help it stand out from recent sci-fi.

Blade Runner’s Box Office Curse

Both the major movie installments of the Blade Runner franchise, Blade Runner (1982) and Blade Runner 2049 (2017) are held in very high regard by critics and fans. Despite that, though, both releases underperformed at the box office and were considered commercial flops at the time of their respective releases.

Blade Runner (1982) underwent a lot of complex behind-the-scenes issues before release, which mostly involved Ridley Scott fighting Warner Bros for more creative control and more resources to create the vision he saw in his mind. Warner Bros., meanwhile, pushed Scott to make the film more digestible to mainstream audiences, so the studio could guarantee a financial return. This feud resulted in a compromise which didn’t quite satisfy either party. Scott agreed to have Harrison Ford record a voice-over explaining the plot, interspersed throughout the film. Yet despite this, Blade Runner was still a difficult watch for most audiences. It was slow-paced, dark, and gritty, and even with the voice-over, was confusing for most viewers. As a result, it only received a worldwide gross of $41.8 million on a $28 million budget.

Blade Runner 2049 suffered a similar fate. Despite the 35-year gap between the two films and the original Blade Runner becoming an iconic cult classic, the sequel only earned $258.1 million worldwide against a budget of $150-185 million. However, much like the first film, 2049 received critical acclaim for its world-building and jaw-dropping visuals.

Despite the praise from critics, the Blade Runner installments seem to be financially cursed, which is why the decision to make a “straight-to-streaming” series is potentially very risky. With all the different options audiences have in terms of streaming platforms, as well as people needing to pay a monthly subscription to have access to said platforms, it is quite common for TV and movies released direct to streaming to fly under the radar.

Blade Runner 2049 Needs More Time To Become A Cult Classic

If the upcoming series Blade Runner 2099 does release in 2025, that will only be eight years after the release of 2049. Compared to the 35-year gap between the first two films, that’s not a lot of time. This is significant because, as mentioned previously, despite the original Blade Runner flopping at the box office, over time it grew to become a cult classic with a passionate, loyal fanbase. This was also helped by Ridley Scott re-releasing the original film in 1992 and 2007, under the title of “The Director’s Cut” and then “The Final Cut.” According to Scott, this was how he intended the movie to be viewed before the studio interfered in the cinematic release.

A 2025 release for Blade Runner 2099 would limit 2049′s capacity to receive the same treatment, because fans of the franchise would naturally have their attention on the newest release. It seemed like 2049 was on its way to becoming something of a cult classic. It is often quoted and referenced in other media and seen in memes online, and fans often rewatch to analyze the movie’s themes and Villeneuve’s unmistakable visual style. It would be a shame for people to stop exploring 2049 before it reaches its full potential as a cult classic.

Television May Not Be The Best Home For The Blade Runner Universe

One of the most distinguishing features of the Blade Runner universe is its cinematography and set design. Before the mass use of CGI, the crew working on the original Blade Runner built the entirety of the set at the Warner Bros. studio. This, of course, was very expensive and time-consuming. Even with the introduction of CGI, the process of creating a set that matches the incredibly high standards established by the first two Blade Runner films isn’t cheap. 2099 is rumored to consist of 10 one-hour episodes, meaning the showrunners must somehow come up with a budget for 10 hours’ worth of Blade Runner-esque visuals. Or, the more likely reality is they will have to compromise on the standard of visuals and set design.

This is fairly common for media that make the jump from movies to TV, and it’s generally accepted and understood by audiences. In some cases the drop in quality even goes unnoticed. However, this is unlikely to happen in the case of such a distinct and recognizable style of filmmaking.

Until a trailer is officially released, it will be too soon to judge this decidedly. However, the upcoming limited series will certainly face a lot of practical issues to live up to the iconic Blade Runner name.