'Blade Runner 2049' Box Office Tracking; No Director's Cut

Tickets for Blade Runner 2049 went on sale this week, two weeks before the sci-fi sequel's October release. And with those first sales, box office tracking services have predicted that Blade Runner 2049 is set to rake in more than $40 million on its opening weekend.

Blade Runner 2049 is one of the fall's most anticipated movies, but it's still to be seen whether that initial interest can drive the film to make up for its hefty production costs. Hit the jump to learn more about the Blade Runner 2049 box office tracking.Denis Villeneuve's R-rated Blade Runner 2049 is projected to open to $43 to $47 million, according to Deadline. While this is a decent opening weekend, the sequel to Ridley Scott's 1982 Blade Runner will need to have steady legs to justify its $185 million budget, which has pushed the Blade Runner sequel to become one of the most expensive R-rated independent features ever made.

The stakes are unquestionably higher for Blade Runner 2049, which takes place roughly 30 years after the events — and after the release — of the original Blade Runner. While Blade Runner has gone on to become a vastly influential sci-fi film, its high-concept ambition only came at a $30 million price tag. Though the movie didn't even make that back during its summer 1982 run, earning a mere $26 million.

But with the return of Harrison Ford to the role he originated in Blade Runner and the addition of uber-popular costar Ryan Gosling, a lot of hopes are riding on Blade Runner 2049. Villeneuve has heavy pressure to live up to as well, with last year's Arrival marking his audacious entry into genre filmmaking and becoming one of the year's sleeper hits at the box office and the Academy Awards.

Deadline reports that Blade Runner 2049 is one of the fall's must-see movies, especially amongst the coveted males under and over 25 demographic, according to a Fandango survey. While most of those polled were anticipating the film because of Gosling, a large proportion of viewers are filling out the theater seats because of Villeneuve, who is steadily becoming one of the most exciting auteur directors today.

One of the many legacies that Blade Runner has left is the existence of the many versions of the film, including the Workprint, the U.S. Theatrical Cut, the International Cut, the Director's Cut, and the Final Cut.

But fans who are waiting to hunt the many versions of Blade Runner 2049 after its theatrical release may be disappointed. Not only is the film nearly three hours long, but it's also the only cut that exists. Villeneuve told ComingSoon.net that while he wasn't generous with the cuts for his film, those scenes that were cut will remain lost to the ether.

"When I cut something out, it's because it's dead after that. It's like a branch of a tree, cut. I never put [out] extended versions or additional footage. If it's not in the movie, it's because we felt it was not appropriate or good enough. I don't do that. I hate that. Honestly... it's never better, the extended version. There was a reason. Even Apocalypse Now. Apocalypse Now Redux is not a good idea. I don't believe in it, apart from Touch of Evil. The rest of the time, most of the movies, the original versions, and Blade Runner... that's the truth."

Blade Runner 2049 is set to hit theaters on October 6, 2017.