It's been a busy week for Denis Villeneuve's upcoming sequel to classic scifi noir Blade Runner. First Robin Wright joined the cast and then Guardians of the Galaxy star Dave Bautista got people buzzing by posting the above photo of himself with an origami unicorn on his Instagram page. Was he joining up as well? You bet ... word is now out and official, Bautista is in Blade Runner 2.
Dave Bautista will join Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford and Robin Wright in an important supporting role in Alcon Entertainment’s sequel to Ridley Scott’s 1982 masterpiece BLADE RUNNER, it was announced by Alcon co-founders and co-CEO’s Andrew Kosove and Broderick Johnson.
Director Denis Villeneuve (Sicario, Prisoners) is directing. Principal photography is scheduled to begin July 2016 and the film will be released by Warner Bros. in North America. Sony Pictures Releasing International will distribute in all overseas territories in all media.
The film is set several decades after the 1982 original, with Harrison Ford reprising his iconic role as Rick Deckard. The film is written by Hampton Fancher and Michael Green, and succeeds the initial story by Fancher and David Peoples based on Philip K. Dick’s novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. Story details, as well as Bautista’s character, are not being revealed.
Alcon Entertainment acquired the film, television and ancillary franchise rights to BLADE RUNNER in 2011 from the late producer Bud Yorkin and Cynthia Sikes Yorkin to produce prequels and sequels to the iconic science-fiction thriller. Cynthia Sikes Yorkin will produce along with Johnson and Kosove. Bud Yorkin will receive producer credit.
Frank Giustra and Tim Gamble, CEO’s of Thunderbird Films, will serve as executive producers. Ridley Scott will also executive produce. Bill Carraro will executive produce.
Bautista recently appeared in Marvel Studios’ blockbuster hit Guardians of the Galaxy and the newest installment of the James Bond franchise Spectre from Columbia Pictures. His upcoming projects include Lionsgate’s 2016 action film Marauders starring Bruce Willis and Adrian Grenier as well as Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 where he will reprise his role as Drax the Destroyer alongside Chris Pratt and Zoe Saldana, due out 2017 from Marvel Studios.
On a bit of a personal note, I'm currently an executive producer on Cary Murnion and Jonathon Millot's upcoming Bushwick, which features Bautista in one of the lead roles and so got to spend a bit of time on set and around the man recently. And anyone worried that this may be in any way, shape or form stunt casting: Don't be. The man's an intensely hard worker, very prepared, a fabulous collaborator and - most importantly - is proving to be a very good actor as directors increasingly trust him to do more than stand and be large. Bautista was preparing to audition for what I assume to be the Blade Runner 2 part when we last crossed paths and I can say first hand that it's something he put a lot of work into and is genuinely excited to be part of.