It was announced today that Ridley Scott has come aboard to produce and direct a new Blade Runner film. This project has been circling as a remake (which seemed unnecessary because the original still stands up so well as a masterpiece) but now this changes the game significantly.

Will it be a sequel?

Will it be a prequel?

Who knows. I saw Ridley Scott at Comic-Con a couple of years ago and he mentioned that he’d love to get back into the world and he’d love to do a sequel about Deckard’s life on the run with Rachel. Sean Young was in attendance and reminded Scott that she’d be happy to return. Would Harrison Ford come back? Would a movie about them thirty years later and on the run even work?

Who knows.

That was the same panel that Ridley Scott came out and proclaimed quite boldly that Deckard was a Replicant the whole time. Though Harrison Ford denies it vehemently.

From the Hollywood Reporter:

While the new movie is being described as a “follow-up” to the first film, the filmmakers have not yet disclosed whether it will function as a prequel or a sequel to the original.

Based on that, I would say it feels like this film is a long ways out. Aside from the fact that Scott is hip-deep in production on Prometheus, it sounds like they have no idea whatsoever what this film will be yet. But if we can get Ridley Scott back in the saddle telling another story in one of the most beloved Science-fiction universes ever created, then this is good news for all of us.

If, by some random accident, you haven’t seen the original Blade Runner, get the director’s definitive cut on Blu-ray. You can snag the five disc set on Amazon for less than $30. It’s a movie you’ll want to watch over and over again to study.