Ridley Scott shares sequel to classic film he regrets passing up on

‘I shouldn’t have had to make that decision,’ director said of choice between ‘Blade Runner’ and ‘Alien’ films

Ridley Scott has admitted he regrets not directing the sequel to his 1982 sci-fi classic, Blade Runner.

2017’s Blade Runner 2049 was instead directed by Denis Villeneuve (Dune) and starred Ryan Gosling, Ana de Armas and Jared Leto alongside Harrison Ford reprising his role from the original film.

Scott was initially attached to the sequel; however, he announced in 2014 that he had to pass up the opportunity due to a scheduling conflict.

The English filmmaker instead helmed Alien: Covenant (2017), starring Michael Fassbender, Katherine Waterston, Billy Crudup and Danny McBride.

“I shouldn’t have had to make that decision,” Scott told Empire in a recent interview. “But I had to. I should have done Blade Runner 2.”

The director will return in a producing role, though, for the forthcoming Amazon Studios series Blade Runner 2099.

“It’s all set years on. To me, it circles the idea of Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World,” Scott said.

Ana De Armas in ‘Blade Runner 2049’ (Warner Bros)

“The original Blade Runner, directed by Ridley Scott, is considered one of the greatest and most influential science-fiction movies of all time, and we’re excited to introduce Blade Runner 2099 to our global Prime Video customers,” said Vernon Sanders, head of global television at Amazon Studios in their announcement last year.

“We are honoured to be able to present this continuation of the Blade Runner franchise, and are confident that by teaming up with Ridley, Alcon Entertainment, Scott Free Productions, and the remarkably talented Silka Luisa, Blade Runner 2099 will uphold the intellect, themes, and spirit of its film predecessors.”

The show’s pilot will be directed by Game of Thrones director Jeremy Podeswa. Filming for the series has reportedly been delayed until Spring 2024 due to the writers’ and actors’ strikes.

Meanwhile, Scott is currently working on another sequel to one of his modern classics, Gladiator.

Gladiator 2 is led by Normal People star Paul Mescal. He plays an adult Lucius, nephew of Joaquin Phoenix’s Emperor Commodus from the 2000 film.

Denzel Washington, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, Pedro Pascal, Connie Nielsen, Djimon Hounsou, and Derek Jacobi also star with the last three reprising their roles. Russell Crowe has confirmed that his lead character, Maximus Decimus Meridius, from the original film, will not return.

In a recent interview, Paramount executives revealed that Mescal’s shirtless scenes in the West End’s A Street Car Named Desire revival convinced them he was right for the Gladiator sequel.

“He played Stanley, and there are several moments where he takes off his shirt and it was electric,” Paramount co-head Daria Cercek said.

Gladiator 2 is set to be released in cinemas on 22 November 2024.