A live-action sequel series set in the Blade Runner universe titled Blade Runner 2099 is in development at Amazon Studios. Ridley Scott, who directed the original 1982 movie, which is based on Philip K. Dick’s 1968 novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, is executive producing and may direct the series, Deadline is reporting.
Blade Runner 2099 will serve as a follow-up to the 2017 feature film sequel Blade Runner 2049, which was directed by Denis Villeneuve. As indicated in its title, the show will be set 50 years after the second movie, but no further plot details have been revealed yet.
Silka Luisa, the showrunner of Apple TV+’s upcoming drama series Shining Girls, which stars Elisabeth Moss, is writing and executive producing Blade Runner 2099. The latest installment of the neo-noir sci-fi franchise is also being developed by Scott Free Productions in association with Alcon Entertainment and Amazon Studios.
The project, which is the first Blade Runner live-action television show, is in priority development at Amazon Studios. The production company is currently in the hiring process for scribes to assist Luisa in penning the television series’ episodes. Once the writer’s room is set, Amazon Studios is intending to fast track the drama’s scripts and set production dates.
Blade Runner 2099 is the latest entry in the franchise since Alcon Entertainment acquired the franchise’s rights in 2011 to produce prequels and sequels to the original sci-fi film, which stars Harrison Ford. Besides the upcoming television follow-up show, the production company has been developing several projects in the series over the last few years.
Last year Alcon Entertainment also signed a licensing deal with Striker Entertainment to create a range of Blade Runner consumer products. Alcon Entertainment’s co-founder and co-CEO, Andrew Kosove also revealed in September that the company has two people whose job it is to keep the franchise’s timeline and continuity intact.
Kosove and his Alcon Entertainment co-founder, Broderick Johnson are also executive producing Blade Runner 2099. They’re being joined by Michael Green, who wrote Blade Runner 2049, as well as Ben Roberts, Cynthia Yorkin and Scott Free Productions’ David W. Zucker and Clayton Krueger.
Besides the upcoming live-action show, the anime series Blade Runner: Black Lotus debuted late last year on Adult Swim and Crunchyroll. It’s set in 2032 and focuses on Elle, a female replicant that was created for a secret and unknown purpose, and is voiced by Jessica Henwick.
Blade Runner is the second high-profile feature movie directed by Scott that’s being adapted for television; Noah Hawley is developing Alien into a show for FX that’s set to begin shooting next year.