Sony Pictures has landed international distribution rights for Alcon Entertainment’s “Blade Runner” sequel.
Warner Bros. Pictures is distributing in North America and Canada through its output agreement with Alcon.
Denis Villeneuve is directing the film, starring Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford, who is reprising his role as Rick Deckard. Hampton Fancher (co-writer of the original movie) and Michael Green have penned the original screenplay based on an idea by Fancher and Ridley Scott.
The story takes place several decades after the conclusion of Scott’s iconic 1982 original — which was set in a 2019 Los Angeles, and based on the Philip K. Dick short story “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?”
Alcon Entertainment acquired the film, television and ancillary franchise rights to “Blade Runner” in 2011 from the late producer Bud Yorkin and Cynthia Sikes Yorkin to produce prequels and sequels to the iconic science-fiction thriller. Sikes Yorkin will produce along with Johnson and Kosove. Bud Yorkin will receive producer credit.
Frank Giustra and Tim Gamble, CEOs of Thunderbird Films, will serve as executive producers. Scott will also executive produce.
The film marks Villenueve’s third collaboration with 13-time Oscar nominee Roger Deakins, who will serve as cinematographer, following Alcon’s “Prisoners” and “Sicario,” which brought Deakins his latest Oscar nomination.
Principal photography on the yet-to-be-titled sequel is scheduled to begin in July.
“At Sony, we have made a strong commitment to the international marketplace,” Sony Pictures Chairman Tom Rothman said in a statement. “We know of few projects with greater international potential than the long dreamed of sequel to ‘Blade Runner,’ especially given the all-star creative team Andrew and Broderick have assembled. We are deeply grateful to everyone at Alcon, Denis and Ridley for entrusting us with such a gift. Working on a ‘Blade Runner’ film also fulfills a long-time personal ambition, as I deeply love and admire the original.”