The Blade Runner franchise, renowned for its groundbreaking exploration of artificial intelligence and humanity, is set to continue with Blade Runner 2099, a miniseries slated to premiere on Amazon Prime Video in 2025. Unlike its predecessors, however, the new installment will introduce a fresh direction with a female-led cast, leaving behind the iconic presence of Harrison Ford.
While Ford’s portrayal of Rick Deckard helped define the original 1982 film and its 2017 sequel Blade Runner 2049, the upcoming series – which was forced to pause then relocate production due to the SAG-AFTRA strikes in 2023 – takes the story 50 years into the future, where Deckard seemingly no longer plays a role in the narrative.
Directed by Karena Evans, Blade Runner 2099 follows Cora (Hunter Schafer), a woman who has spent her life evading detection by constantly changing her identity. Schafer’s character joins forces with Olwen (Michelle Yeoh), a replicant facing her own mortality. Together, they embark on a mission set against the backdrop of a dystopian Los Angeles in 2099.
Joining the lead actresses are Dimitri Abold, Lewis Gribben, Katelyn Rose Downey, and Tom Burke, rounding out a diverse cast for the new chapter. Most exciting of all is the fact that the show has just taken a huge step towards hitting our screens, as it was recently confirmed that filming is complete!
‘BLADE RUNNER 2099’, starring Hunter Schafer and Michelle Yeoh, has wrapped filming.
Coming soon to Prime Video.
‘BLADE RUNNER 2099’, starring Hunter Schafer and Michelle Yeoh, has wrapped filming.
Coming soon to Prime Video. pic.twitter.com/gUUdDAon9o
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) December 29, 2024
Big Changes for Blade Runner
The upcoming show’s synopsis reads as follows:
In Los Angeles 2099, Cora lived her entire life on the run, a chameleon forced to adopt numerous identities. To secure a stable future for her brother, she assumes one final identity and is forced to partner with Olwen, a Replicant who’s confronting the end of her life.
This shift in focus, featuring new characters and themes, marks a significant departure from the legacy of the earlier films, which were driven by Ford’s portrayal of the brooding blade runner.
While Ford’s departure may disappoint some long-time fans, it reflects a trend in his career where he has gradually stepped away from iconic franchise roles, such as his final turn as Indiana Jones in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023) and his departure from Star Wars after his portrayal of Han Solo (which, if Ford had it his way, would’ve ended decades earlier).
The exception to Ford’s franchise-exit rule as of late is his upcoming debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Ford is set to play Thaddeus Ross in Captain America: Brave New World (2025), where he takes over for William Hurt.
Despite the absence of Ford, Blade Runner 2099 remains an exciting continuation of Philip K. Dick’s vision from the 1968 novel “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?”, which inspired the original film. As fans eagerly await the release, the question remains: will this new era of Blade Runner hold up to its predecessors, or will it forge its own path in the ever-evolving world of science fiction?
How do you feel about the concept of Blade Runner 2099?
