“Blade Runner” Acquired for a Reboot. Because The Universe Hates You.

“Blade Runner” Acquired for a Reboot. Because The Universe Hates You.

Movie News

By our guest blogger, Joe Oliveto

We have nothing against franchise reboots in general. Just look at the wonderful films we got when new directors gave us a fresh take on “Batman” and “Star Trek.” In the right hands, a reboot can be worthy of and perhaps even superior to its processor.

But there are some films which are best left alone, because the filmmakers behind them crafted a classic work of cinema which should not be tainted by further meddling. Films like “Blade Runner,” for example.

Sadly, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Alcon Entertainment is grabbing up that particular property with the intention of expanding on it, perhaps in the form of prequels or sequels. Apparently no one at Alcon has seen “Blade Runner,” because it’s pretty clear to those of us who have that it’s a film best left alone.

Word is that the new owners of the property haven’t committed themselves strictly to the medium of film, and would be willing to expand the “Blade Runner” universe in other ways—perhaps video games, TV shows or comics, for instance. Either way, we don’t think it’s necessary to do any more work with this material.

First of all, it will be impossible to find a filmmaker who can recreate the world that Ridley Scott put on the screen. “Blade Runner” is decades old and the future-noir vision of L.A. that it gave viewers is still impressive today. Modern directors would rely too heavily on CGI to accomplish what Scott and his team did practically.

Also, the story itself doesn’t need further exploration. Is Deckard a replicant? That’s the kind of question that is interesting simply because we know that we won’t ever get a real answer.

Granted, any new projects in this universe might not feature the same characters, but once again, it will be difficult to get the look and feel of the universe right. Best to leave it alone.

But hey, it’s Hollywood.