'Blade Runner' Producer Says Not To Expect A New Film Before 2014; Harrison Ford Not Likely To Return

The biggest news of the day — and likely the week, perhaps even the month — is that Ridley Scott has agreed to direct a film that will be either a prequel or sequel to his 1982 classic Blade Runner. Details on the project are very thin right now; besides the simple fact of Alcon Entertainment holding the rights to make the film, and Scott agreeing to direct, there are no specifics.

Andrew Kosove from Alcon is, however, already talking about the many steps that have to be taken before a film will ever be released. Between needing to make big decisions about the overall story, hiring a writer and shaping the script, we shouldn't expect the film to go into production before 2013. That means a 2014 release is the earliest we can expect the new Blade Runner. And what of original star Harrison Ford? Don't expect to see him in the film, says Kosove.

The LA Times talked to Kosove, who described a meeting he and Alcon partner Broderick Johnson had with Ridley Scott, during which " they hashed out how a new film would look, how it could avoid seeming too similar to the many movies that have since paid homage to the original, and how different the new film should be from the original itself."

That meeting had a couple big results. One was a handshake agreement for Ridley Scott to produce and direct the new film. The other was that, whatever this new Blade Runner is, it will "stand as separately as possible" from the 1982 film. So the 'not quite an Alien prequel' status of Prometheus, the film Scott is finishing right now, certainly seems to be informing this project. (As Germain surmised.)

Now Scott has to meet with writers, choose one and wait for a first draft. So we're looking at probably a minimum of 18 months to get the script and pre-production work done.

There is the question of possible participation from Harrison Ford, which Kosove addresses:

In no way do I speak for Ridley Scott. But if you're asking me will this movie have anything to do with Harrison Ford, the answer is no. This is a total reinvention, and in my mind that means doing everything fresh, including casting.

I'm happy to hear that Ford isn't likely to be involved, and there's something about the phrase 'total reinvention' that I like in this context. At the same time, I have to admit that could mean anything right now. With no script, not even a screenwriter, it is very difficult to make any guesses. But hell, I liked the Prometheus footage. I'm more interested in that film than I ever expected to be interested in an Alien prequel, Ridley Scott or no.