Philip K. Dick is one of the most storied science-fiction authors ever. A large number of sci-fi films, from Minority Report to A Scanner Darkly to The Adjustment Bureau were adapted from Philip K. Dick stories. The most famous and successful of the Dick adaptations, Blade Runner, has become a huge cult film transcending the typical sci-fi audience over the 30 years it’s been out.
However, with Ridley Scott, who directed the original Blade Runner, set to go forward with a sequel, the film’s legacy could risk becoming tarnished. Look at what happened with last year’s Prometheus, which was a quasi-prequel/reboot of Alien, another Ridley Scott film: It raised more questions than it answered and added even more confusion to an already convoluted Alien mythology. What’s more, the Blade Runner series of books that the upcoming sequel might be based off of weren’t written by Dick, but a friend of his (with approval, of course), which lacked the charm and wit that only Dick possessed.
Adding more salt to the wound is the hiring of Michael Green, one of the many screenwriters credited for the abomination that was DC’s Green Lantern film, to rewrite the film’s script. Granted, with so many people hired to work on that script, it could be possible that Green didn’t have much influence on the final product. Still, Green Lantern isn’t exactly one of the best films to have on somebody’s resume, especially when it comes to handling such a beloved film as Blade Runner.
Blade Runner 2: Son of Blade Runner is still years away, so there’s the possibility that fortunes can be turned around and it could match the level of amazement its precursor did. I’d advise not to hold your breaths for that to happen, though.
[via /Film]