Blade Runner: the franchise

[Steve Roby]

I've often heard that the 1998 Kurt Russell film Soldier is meant to take place in the Blade Runner universe; they have screenwriter David Peoples in common, and there are some Easter egg references to BR backstory elements. I don't think I ever saw it, though, and apparently it has a poor reputation.

I saw it once, decades ago. As I recall, Peoples threw in a reference or two, with the idea that the main character has been at one or two of the battles Roy Batty refers to. It wasn't a classic movie, more what you'd have rented at Blockbuster if you got there late and all the good stuff was already rented. Which is probably how I saw it.

Alien wasn't created by Ridley Scott?
I know Blade Runner was based on the Phillip K. Dick book, but he does seem to be the one in controlling the movies.

Dan O'Bannon wrote Alien from a story developed by O'Bannon and Ronald Shusett.

 

[JD]

Oh, I had assumed it was at least Scott's concept.
EDIT: Just looked it up on Wikipedia and I see now that the concept already existed long before Scott got involved.

 

[Christopher]

Oh, I had assumed it was at least Scott's concept.

Alien actually came about because Dan O'Bannon decided he wanted to do a serious version of his micro-budget sci-fi comedy Dark Star. Ridley Scott was at least the seventh director considered for the film. It was only his second feature film, after The Duellists.

Alien (film) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[JD]

Yeah, I guess you didn't see my edit I added. After I first posted I looked it up on Wikipedia and read through the early development section.

 

[Set Harth]

Wait, the ending of Dark Star wasn't meant to be serious?

 

[FredH]

I've often heard that the 1998 Kurt Russell film Soldier is meant to take place in the Blade Runner universe; they have screenwriter David Peoples in common, and there are some Easter egg references to BR backstory elements. I don't think I ever saw it, though, and apparently it has a poor reputation.

It’s a terrible fairly-standard 90s action movie, although Russell’s performance is excellent.

 

[Tosk]

Soldier has one distinction, it's from the "upper half" of Paul W.S. Anderson's filmography. It may not be amazing, but it's easily watchable.

 

[Mage]

I've often heard that the 1998 Kurt Russell film Soldier is meant to take place in the Blade Runner universe; they have screenwriter David Peoples in common, and there are some Easter egg references to BR backstory elements. I don't think I ever saw it, though, and apparently it has a poor reputation.

It's.....underrated. By no means amazing, and certainly not a top 5 Kurt Russell movie. But considering the director, it's actually not bad. I'd say, if you find it for free to stream or for a few bucks in a dvd bin, give it a shot.

 

[Christopher]

Soldier has one distinction, it's from the "upper half" of Paul W.S. Anderson's filmography. It may not be amazing, but it's easily watchable.

I also note from its credits that it was the first time Kurt Russell and his son Wyatt played the same character at two different ages, as they recently did again in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.

Pretty sure the only Anderson films I've seen are Event Horizon, which I found moderately good, and Alien vs. Predator, of which I have no significant memories.

 

[oktay]

‘Blade Runner 2099’ To Premiere In 2026 On Prime Video

'Blade Runner 2099,' Prime Video's limited series followup to the 2017 movie sequel 'Blade Runner 2049', will premiere on Prime Video in 2026.

deadline.com

 

[MarcKyle1964]

Pretty sure the only Anderson films I've seen are Event Horizon, which I found moderately good, and Alien vs. Predator, of which I have no significant memories.

Is that the one where the alien fought the predator and one of them won?

 

[The Nth Doctor]

‘Blade Runner 2099’ To Premiere In 2026 On Prime Video

'Blade Runner 2099,' Prime Video's limited series followup to the 2017 movie sequel 'Blade Runner 2049', will premiere on Prime Video in 2026.

deadline.com

I completely forgot that was coming and that it was starring Michelle Yeoh. Definitely looking forward to it, although it's a shame it won't be until next year.

 

[JD]

I did too, definitely very curious about this since I absolutely love both the original and 2049.

 

[Set Harth]

of which I have no significant memories.

Lucky...

 

[Christopher]

I found 2049 extremely disappointing compared to the better edits of the original, replicating the surface but lacking substance, so I'm skeptical of this.

 

[Steve Roby]

I liked 2049, but I don't think it's going to be terribly relevant in predicting or assessing 2099, which is coming from a different group of people. My concern is Ridley Scott's level of involvement, given how unimpressed I was by Prometheus and Covenant.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

I found 2049 extremely disappointing compared to the better edits of the original, replicating the surface but lacking substance, so I'm skeptical of this.

I am going to preface this with, "I like 2049." I do.

I have called 2049 "a really expensive arthouse movie."

I have described 2049 as "someone's side story fanfic about a minor character from a Blade Runner sequel we don't actually see."

I admire the madness of making 2049, because this isn't a commercial film.

 

[Nightowl1701]

I still wish they’d provide an in-universe explanation for why on earth they’re called Blade Runners (yes, I know the real-life reason)…

Here's my head-canon take on it, as if Deckard was explaining it to Rachael...

"So you're a replicant hunter. A 'Blade Runner.' Why do they call it that?"
"Because the faster you find and fold ‘em, before they can do any damage the public might notice, the better. It’s you versus something faster, stronger, tougher, maybe even smarter than you, and the clock’s ticking. You’re always on the edge of getting killed."
"Like the edge of a blade."
"Yeah. The trick's to not fall off."

Yeah, I know, I'm responding to an old post...

I found 2049 extremely disappointing compared to the better edits of the original, replicating the surface but lacking substance, so I'm skeptical of this.

It had plenty of substance, it just took way too long to get there. Ridley was right, it could have lost a half-hour easily without too much damage to the story.

 

[Tosk]

Ridley was right, it could have lost a half-hour easily without too much damage to the story.

One might say that about several of Ridley's longer movies.

 

[Set Harth]

replicating the surface