There have been scripts, plans and talk of a Blade Runner sequel floating around Hollywood since at least 1999 - but now it's real.
Shooting is due to start this July on Blade Runner 2, with Harrison Ford returning as Rick Deckard and Ryan Gosling in another leading role.
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The original film, in case you're the person who hasn't seen it, sees Deckard hired to track down four missing replicants, robots who look entirely human.
Deckard is a 'blade runner', a sort of government bounty hunter who must learn to distinguish the artificial beings from any other humans and bring them in. But things get complicated, and he struggles to tell real from the manmade.
Usually, a sequel to such a highly-regarded original film would spark wariness, if not indeed outright scepticism.
But in this case they have a talented new director in Denis Villeneuve (Sicario, Prisoners) and one of the world's best cinematographers, Roger Deakins, to find something as iconic as the first film's look.
Original director Ridley Scott will be executive producer, and original writer Hampton Fancher is back as well, working with Michael Green to adapt a story idea from Fancher and Scott.
And then of course Ford is giving Deckard another go-round, after decades arguing with Scott over whether the character was himself a replicant.
Of course, you should be wary of replicants even before January 12, 2018. According to the original film's dates, they already walk among us.












