The original Blade Runner remains one of the most influential science-fiction movies in history, whose influence continues to be felt today. However, that doesn’t mean that the production was easy, and its tumultuous behind-the-scenes drama and difficult production have been well documented since its release decades ago.
The much-anticipated sequel, Blade Runner 2049, had a far smoother production than its predecessor, but that’s not to say that it was free of drama or challenges. As with any production of this scale, things are bound to not go as planned and present unexpected and unique challenges.
Harrison Ford Punched Ryan Gosling
Accidents happen, even to the most seasoned and professional actors. The set of Blade Runner 2049 was no exception and saw Ryan Gosling receive an unexpected punch in the face from Harrison Ford. The hit occurred when Ford and Gosling were acting out a fight scene in which Ford was supposed to punch Gosling, but not actually hit him.
However, the error lies squarely on Gosling, who misplaced his head and thus received a knock. Although to Ford’s credit, he claims to have performed the stunt more than 100 times and only socked his co-star the once. The two actors were able to have a laugh about the accident, and later shared a bottle of scotch over the incident together.
Its Length Was Blamed For Its Box-Office Disappointment
Blade Runner 2049 had a whopping budget of an estimated $150 million and used that money to bring the future to life with some of the most dazzling visuals the decade had to offer. However, upon the film’s release, it only grossed only $260 million, making it a financial disappointment. Director of the original Blade Runner, Ridley Scott, voiced his opinion on why the film failed to make its money back and blamed the length of the film on its disappointing performance.
Claiming that he would have taken out half an hour, and declaring that the film was too slow. Blade Runner 2049 clocks in at 2 hours 44 minutes and the original Blade Runner runs just short of 2 hours. While the sequel is long, there are plenty of long movies that do connect with the audiences so it is impossible to say if a shorter run time would have been beneficial.
Rachael’s Scenes Were Kept A Secret
The sequel is filled with unexpected moments, and one of the biggest reveals is the appearance of Rachael, which proves to be one of the most shocking and memorable moments in the film. The filmmakers knew it would be, and went to great lengths to ensure that this secret did not get leaked.
This meant denying the appearance of her character in any interviews and taking extra precautions on set when filming her scenes. These extreme measures included using a minimal crew, so only those who were vital to the production of the film would learn and be trusted with this highly sensitive secret.
David Bowie Was Almost Cast
Director Denis Villeneuve’s first choice to play Niander Wallace was David Bowie, however, his death before the start of production meant that this was not possible. This then led to Jared Leto earning the part, and while he was great in the role it would have been wonderful to see what Bowie would have done with the part.
Wallace proved to be one of the most interesting and complex new characters introduced in the sequel and as the CEO of the Replicant producing Wallace Corporation he is one of the most important characters in the film.
The Opening Was Originally Intended For Blade Runner
Blade Runner 2049 introduces its Blade Runer K by having him visit an isolated farm where he has a tense standoff with a Replicant before killing him. The scene is atmospheric and serves as a great introduction to the character, giving the audience everything they need to know.
However, this scene wasn’t intended for the sequel and was written during the production of the original Blade Runner, and was intended to introduce Rick Deckard. The scene was even storyboarded before being scrapped for reasons unknown. Watching Blade Runner 2049 it would be impossible to guess that the scene was written for an entirely different film and fits perfectly.
Alternate Title
Blade Runner 2049 was a long time coming and was released 35 years after the original, because of this the project went through many changes, most notably it’s title. One such title previously attached to the project was Blade Runner: Time to Live. This serves as a nod to the original film, and twists Roy’s final words before his climactic death.
While the title is by no means terrible, it’s a little pretentious and would no doubt have hampered the sequel’s performance at the box-office, which suffered regardless. The final title Blade Runner 2049, is a simpler and far better title that sets up the film perfectly and stands toe-to-toe alongside the original.
Ridley Scott Was Unable To Direct The Sequel
Ridley Scott directed the first movie with great success, bringing his unique talents and excellent filmmaking skills to produce a film that no one had seen anything like before, and continues to be influential to this day.
So when it came time to make a sequel to his masterpiece he seemed like the obvious choice, however, someone else was instead given the role as director and allowed to put their vision on screen. This is because Ridley Scott was otherwise engaged with Alien: Covenant which he was committed to direct, and so he was forced to pass on the project. He was disappointed at this prospect but accepted it with grace, claiming: “it was a bit of a bugger, but there we are”.
It Was An Emotional Shoot
Harrison Ford is constantly bombarded with inane Star Wars question, which can make him appear to be a bit of a grouch sometime. It’s hard to blame the guy, but perhaps the truth couldn’t be further from this persona. Harrison Ford was keen to return to the role and had a great time during the shooting of Blade Runner 2049.
So much so that upon completing his final scene, which just so happens to be his final scene in the film, the entire crew got very emotional and Ford himself was so happy with the entire experience. Producer Cynthia Yorkin believes that his whole curmudgeon shtick is definitely an act.
The Original Cut Of The Movie Was 4 Hours Long
Blade Runner 2049 clocks in at a lengthy 2 hours 44 minutes, making it one of the more lengthy films to be released in 2017. However, the original cut of the film was far longer, too long in fact, and ran for 4 hours in total. However, a lot was required to be cut to produce the final film and director Denis Villeneuve doesn’t plan on releasing an extended cut any time soon, and personally, he isn’t a fan of them.
4 hours is obviously too long for a theatrical film, but with so much extra footage already shot and edited it seems like a shame to not release it. The original Blade Runner is infamous for its many different versions, and while the sequel doesn’t need to go that far, a longer cut would be interesting to see.
Short Films
Alongside the release of Blader Runner 2049, three short films were also released which served to bridge the gap between both films and expand the world with new perspectives and additional characters. The first of these was 2036: Nexus Dawn, which served as a prequel to 2049 and focused on Niander Wallace. The second was 2048: Nowhere to Run, which saw Dave Bautista’s character Sapper Morton return, and his identity as a replicant become known.
Last, but by no means least, was the release of the third film, this time an animated short. Blade Runner: Blackout debuted on Crunchyroll and saw a powerful weapon cause a global blackout. These animated films expanded the world of Blade Runner, making it richer and more complex.
