Saturday’s “Blade Runner 2049” Comic-Con panel was, in appropriately futuristic fashion, introduced by Jared Leto in hologram form. The actor showed up to hype the sequel to Ridley Scott‘s classic, promising fans that Denis Villeneuve‘s new installment in the series wouldn’t disappoint.
Do we really need Hologram Jared Leto’s assurance, though? (No offense, HJL, in case you’re reading this.) With a string of assured, well received movies under his belt, including “Arrival,” “Prisoners,” “Sicario,” and my personal favorite, “Enemy,” Villeneuve has yet to miss the mark. He’s the perfect man for this particular job, having dabbled successfully in genre as well as atmospheric drama.
Villeneuve was at Saturday’s Hall H panel to further persuade fans of the original “Blade Runner” to have faith in him. When asked about shouldering the burden of the “Blade Runner” series’ legacy, Villeneuve said (via The Hollywood Reporter),”I didn’t want someone else to fuck it up. It is my favorite movie of all time.”
While the secrets behind the movie are still being kept close to the vest, fans have now a timeline for the film, which fills in what has happened since “Blade Runner.” Here’s how it breaks down:
READ MORE: ‘Blade Runner 2019’ Features An Unfilmed Scene From ‘Blade Runner’
2019: A prototype Replicant, Rachael, and Officer Rick Deckard, a Blade Runner, escape Los Angeles together.
2020: After the death of founder Eldon Tyrell, the Tyrell Corporation rushes a new line of Nexus 8 Replicants onto market for use Off-world. Unlike previous Nexus models, built with 4-year lifespans, the Nexus 8s have open-ended lifespans, as well as ocular implants for easy identification.
2022: An EMP of unknown origin detonates somewhere in the West Coast. Cities shut down for weeks. Electronic data is corrupted for destroyed over most of the United States. Finance and trade markets crash worldwide. Food supplies become dire. Theories spread as to the cause of the Blackout; none are proven. The most popular Replicants.
2023: The governing authorities legislate an indefinite “prohibition” on replicant production. Nexus 6 models are now all decommissioned due to their programmed 4-year lifespans. Surviving Nexus 8 models are to be retired. Those that can, go into hiding.
2025: Idealistic scientist Niander Wallace pioneers advancements in genetically modified food and shares his patents for free, marking an end to a global crisis. His company, Wallace Corporation, E&C, expands across the globe — and into the Off-world colonies.
2028: Niander Wallace acquires the remains of the bankrupt Tyrell Corporation.
2030s: Niander Wallace improves upon Tyrell’s genetic engineering and memory implantation methods to make Replicants obedient and controllable.
2036: Prohibition is repealed. Wallace reintroduces a new line of “perfected” Replicants — The Nexus 9.
Early 2040s: The LAPD commits additional resources to bolster its existing Blade Runner unit, tasked with location illegal Replicants — and retiring them.
2048: …
2049: When we return to Los Angeles, 30 years after the original movie, climate change has caused the sea level to rise dramatically. A massive Sea Wall has been built along with Sepulveda Pass to protect the Los Angeles basin. Los Angeles is even more uninhabitable than before and filled with poverty and sickness. Humans, who were not well enough to leave for the off-world colonies, are left behind. There is no fresh food, and inhabitants survive on Wallace’s genetically modified food products sold from vending machines at street markets.
There are certainly some fascinating developments in there, and it’s clear a lot of work went into establishing the new world for the sequel. It looks like we’re in good hands with Villeneuve and co.
The film’s unsettlingly great cast includes Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, Ana de Armas, Sylvia Hoeks, Robin Wright, Mackenzie Davis, Carla Juri, Lennie James, Dave Bautista and Jared Leto. “Blade Runner 2049” opens on October 6th.
You can watch the entire “Blade Runner 2049” panel below.
#RoadTo2049 pic.twitter.com/EBZozQW67n
— Felipe Henriquez (@pipevicioso) July 23, 2017