How Blade Runner 2049 Director Denis Villeneuve Incorporated Original Film’s DNA
Given Comic Con’s status as a nerd paradise, it is unsurprising that the director of the Blade Runner sequel, Denis Villeneuve, made an appearance at the event. Collider’s Steve Weintraub caught up with Villeneuve to discuss some of the more technical aspects of Blade Runner 2049, which is set to premiere this October 6. (Re-watch the fantastic trailer here.)
As the upcoming film is a sequel, many fans have wondered what version of the first film they should watch beforehand due to the well-known controversy surrounding the many iterations and cuts of the film that came out in the years following the original theatrical release in 1982. While Villeneuve recommends Ridley Scott’s final director’s cut version, he also notes that the voiceover version of the film from 1982 was the one that he fell in love with while growing up. That said, viewers can rest assured that no such voiceover will appear in 2049.
There will, however, be some other key elements carried over from the original film. Villeneuve stated the importance of remaining true to aspects of the original film’s “DNA”, including the soundtrack. The new movie will feature music directly inspired by Vangelis’ work for the first Blade Runner. The advertisements that were such a feature of the first film’s landscape will also be present in 2049. Villeneuve emphasized their role in making these films an extension of reality, noting that the upcoming film would incorporate a range of companies, including some seen in the original film, some created by Villeneuve specifically for 2049, and some new companies from recent years, placed to give a sense of evolution over the thirty years that have occurred between the first film and 2049.
The interview is full of great insights, including the reasoning behind Villeneuve’s tendency to use one camera, and talk of Roger Deakins’ work as cinematographer. Villeneuve certainly paints an exciting picture, and the full interview is definitely worth a read, full of details to help tide fans over until the film’s premiere.
