It’s been 35 years since the original Blade Runner was in theaters, and the world depicted in that film has become a very different place by the time of Blade Runner 2049. The future isn’t what it used to be, but we’ll soon learn how and why the Replicants are still around three decades after Harrison Ford‘s Rick Deckard went underground. Collider has debuted Blade Runner 2036, a new short film that fills in some of the gaps between the first film and its sequel.
As explained by Blade Runner 2049 director Denis Villeneuve in the introduction for this video, he invited a few filmmakers to create three shorts that set the stage for his film. Blade Runner 2036: Nexus Dawn was directed by Luke Scott, and it reveals that Replicant technology was outlawed in the intervening years. That can’t be considered too much of a surprise, considering the Replicants of 2019 were able to elude conventional detection.
The short officially introduces Jared Leto‘s Niander Wallace, as he makes a personal request to repeal the anti-Replicant laws. In reality, Wallace had no intention of abiding by those rules, and he’s already created at least one new Replicant whom he describes as an “angel.”
Intriguingly, Wallace argues that the new Replicants are necessary for humanity’s survival in the off-world colonies, and he promises that his Replicants will never rebel and will only obey. But we’ve heard that promise before! And it never ends well.
The two remaining prequel short films will presumably be online before Blade Runner 2049 hits theaters on October 6.
What did you think about this short? Let us know in the comment section below!
Images: Warner Bros. Pictures
