Blade Runner 2049's current ending is quite beautiful, but there was originally a VERY different climax.
Talking to the LA Times about the possibility of expanding the Blade Runner universe after this movie, Hampton Fancher revealed that his original ending – before Michael Green worked on the script – wouldn't have lent itself well to further movies.
Needless to say, SPOILERS follow after the picture of Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford looking moody.
So Blade Runner 2049's ending sees Deckard (Ford) meet his daughter, who he had with replicant Rachael, having been led to her by a dying K (Gosling), and it plays out in an emotional wordless sequence.
However, Fancher has revealed that Deckard actually died at the end of his version. "In my script, Deckard died at the end, but you [Green] have him live," he explained.
"The first time Ridley [Scott] and I ever considered doing a second Blade Runner in 1986 or whatever it was, I came up with an idea about Deckard and his next job – and it's kind of horrifying what happens in my little fantasy.
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"Now that Deckard lives, that idea is back in my head. But I'm not going to tell you what it is."
It's not clear if Deckard's death would have meant that he never met his daughter, which would fit with K being told by Freysa to kill Deckard before he talks (although we still have questions about that).
Blade Runner 2049 is in cinemas now.
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Movies Editor, Digital Spy Ian has more than 10 years of movies journalism experience as a writer and editor. Starting out as an intern at trade bible Screen International, he was promoted to report and analyse UK box-office results, as well as carving his own niche with horror movies, attending genre festivals around the world. After moving to Digital Spy, initially as a TV writer, he was nominated for New Digital Talent of the Year at the PPA Digital Awards. He became Movies Editor in 2019, in which role he has interviewed 100s of stars, including Chris Hemsworth, Florence Pugh, Keanu Reeves, Idris Elba and Olivia Colman, become a human encyclopedia for Marvel and appeared as an expert guest on BBC News and on-stage at MCM Comic-Con. Where he can, he continues to push his horror agenda – whether his editor likes it or not.
