In a press release (via The Playlist), Alcon Entertainment have confirmed that cinematographer Roger Deakins will join director Denis Villeneuve on the hugely anticipated Blade Runner sequel.
Deakins - who has been nominated for 12 Oscars and is due to be awarded the Pierre Angénieux Excellens in Cinematography Award at this year's Cannes Film Festival - is probably best known for his work with the Coen brothers (Cannes 2015’s competition jury presidents), although shooting Skyfall shows he’s no slouch when it comes to blockbuster material.
It’s another jolt of positive news for fans wary of a Blade Runner comeback. The 1982 sci-fi classic is so renowned for its groundbreaking visuals, a sequel was always going to have a tough job following it. With Deakins on board, we’re one step closer to having another visually stunning dystopian future to gawk at.
Deakins and Villeneuve have previously collaborated on Prisoners - a film with a distinctly murky palette that added heaps to the atmosphere - as well as Cannes 2015 competition entry Sicario, which has scored very positive reviews.
Harrison Ford has been confirmed for a return as Rick Deckard (which will presumably bring decades of ambiguity and speculation to an end), and Ryan Gosling has been heavily rumoured for the lead role. The new film is written by Blade Runner co-writer Hampton Fancher and Michael Green, from an idea by Fancher and Ridley Scott.
Filming will commence in summer 2016, meaning we won’t see it until at least the following year.
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