Summary
- Blade Runner 2099 will emulate the style of the original 1982 film, creating a connection to the franchise’s roots.
- The decision to mirror the first film’s aesthetics is a deliberate move that signals a return to cyberpunk storytelling.
- The series will focus on L.A.’s futuristic evolution, aiming to differentiate its 2099 setting from the previous installments.
Blade Runner 2099 will reportedly have a style closer to the original 1982 film than Denis Villeneuve’s 2017 sequel. This was confirmed by one of the actors involved in the project. While the choice may seem unconventional, the upcoming Amazon Studios’ sci-fi miniseries could actually benefit from it for multiple reasons.
Created by Silka Luisa, Blade Runner 2099 will serve as a sequel set in the year 2099, as the title suggests. The series continues the story of Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner (set in a dystopian 2019) and the events of Blade Runner 2049. Both sci-fi films, set in Los Angeles and based on Philip K. Dick’s 1968 novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, have set benchmarks for the genre. With such a legacy, the upcoming show has big shoes to fill.
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Blade Runner 2099 Actor Hints At Return To Older Aesthetics
The Series Will Lean More Towards The 1982 Movie’s Style
Tom Burke joined the cast of Blade Runner 2099 in August 2024 for an undisclosed recurring role. He’s best known for playing Praetorian Jack in the Mad Max prequel Furiosa, alongside Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth. In an interview with Variety, while promoting Steven Soderbergh’s upcoming spy thriller Black Bag, Burke shared some exciting hints about 2099. He confirmed that the show’s style aligns more closely with Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner than Denis Villeneuve’s sequel.
There was a moment of just letting go… I was like, ‘OK, we’re really going out there with this.’ It’s much closer to the aesthetic of the first movie than the second movie… It returns to that somewhat kind of Baroque, eclectic mix of cultures and time periods.
The actor also spoke at length about how the Blade Runner franchise explores philosophical questions, particularly what it means to be human. Burke’s comments suggest two key takeaways: first, that the new show is progressing in the right direction by staying true to the franchise’s core themes; and second, the choice to follow the older film’s style seems to be a deliberate decision. While both Blade Runner films remain among the best sci-fi movies of all time, the series seems better suited to follow the original’s cyberpunk approach.
Why Blade Runner 2049 Is Difficult To Imitate
Dune: Prophecy Couldn’t Match Villeneuve’s Vision
Blade Runner 2099 choosing to emulate the original film’s style doesn’t imply anything negative about the 2017 sequel. If anything, it suggests the opposite. Blade Runner 2049 is almost inimitable, and any attempt to replicate its bleak yet beautiful tone risks making the work feel lifeless and dull. Take Dune: Prophecy, for example. While it drew clear inspiration from Denis Villeneuve’s Dune films, the HBO Max series struggled to recreate the same atmospheric and transcendent feel.
Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner is a strong starting point that allows for new styles, just as Villeneuve did with 2049. The 1982 film had a raw, street-level feel which captured the little things with more life – the steaming ramen bars, the heavy trench coats during the rain, and the buzzing neon signs. In contrast, 2049 focused more on elite living spaces or the city’s deserted outskirts. Despite their differences, Villeneuve’s film stayed visually connected to the original. If 2099 follows the first film’s style, it could do the same and still somehow feel fresh and different.
Comparing Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner Vs. 2049
2099 Could Use A Bold Cyberpunk Dystopia
While both Blade Runner films share a style, 2049 spent much of its time outside L.A. — starting on a farm with open air and later exploring a ruined Las Vegas. The original Blade Runner, with its heavy film noir influence, was almost entirely set within the city. The film’s world was a futuristic mix of cultural influences, visible in the people, advertising, architecture, markets etc., all of which benefitted from the nighttime, rain-soaked aesthetic.
For Blade Runner 2099, this likely means a return to L.A. with film sets used repeatedly to save costs. However, the city’s design must feel like the world has evolved over 80 years, according to the story. A futuristic 2099 setting should feel different from the dystopian 2019 sets of Blade Runner. Villeneuve’s sequel did a solid job at showing around 30 years of urban evolution while staying true to the franchise’s signature style.
The New Blade Runner Series Needs Different Treatment
2049’s High Budget & Low Returns Are A Concern
Unlike Dune: Prophecy, Blade Runner 2099 has the option to take a different approach than its recent predecessor, and it appears to have done so. While Blade Runner 2049 is considered a definitive 21st-century classic, it failed to break even at the box office. As a result, Amazon and Alcon have no financial incentive to match its performance. Plus, with the series’ per-episode budget likely to be far lower than 2049‘s $150–185 million production cost, copying its style doesn’t really make sense.
Collaborations Of A Lifetime
And it’s not just about money. 2049 was a masterclass in every technical aspect. Roger Deakins’ stunning cinematography won him his first Oscar, while Hans Zimmer also began his collaboration with Denis Villeneuve in spectacular fashion, a partnership that would continue with the Dune films. Adding to this was editor Joe Walker, another Villeneuve regular, known for his work on Arrival, Sicario, and later Dune. Together, these generational storytellers made 2049 special — something that can’t easily be recreated by their contemporaries.
Ridley Scott’s Return Brings Hope
Hopefully, Tom Burke’s comments refer only to borrowing the original’s aesthetics and not resorting to gimmicks like de-aging Harrison Ford’s Rick Deckard or other forms of nostalgia baiting. Ridley Scott returns as an executive producer for the series, which is reassuring. The show stars Michelle Yeoh as Olwen, a replicant nearing the end of her life, while Hunter Schafer’s Cora is rumored to be a fugitive who teams up with her to expose a conspiracy. Specific plot details remain under wraps, and there is currently no official release date for Blade Runner 2099.
