Director Denis Villeneuve is about to take his first step into big budget franchise filmmaking. After making a string of well-received, moderately-budgeted original films, Villeneuve is set to release “Blade Runner 2049” in October, and he is well aware that fans are anxiously awaiting the sequel.
In an interview with The Canadian Press, the director made it clear he’s hardly unaware of the anticipation that’s awaiting the picture. “The level of expectation behind this movie is huge and everybody is waiting for the movie with open arms — or with a baseball bat,” he said.
Sadly, he’s only half joking. Genre fans are well known to be very protective over their prized films, and the original “Blade Runner” is a film held in great respect. He continues, “The expectations are for obvious reasons: The first movie was a masterpiece and it’s a very risky, challenging project. But I will say that it has been the most rewarding and exciting experience of my life so far and I’m excited.”
However, anyone worried about the new film feeling different than the original, need not be concerned. “The first movie was a film noir, quite intense with melancholia and an existential crisis, so we are not far away from the thematics of the first movie, I will say. It’s the same genre, the same atmosphere,” Villeneuve said. Well, if it ain’t broke…
Is Villeneuve the right man for the job of resurrecting a classic sci-fi noir franchise? Should fans get their baseball bats ready? We’ll find out when “Blade Runner 2049” is released on October 6th.