Plenty of people were skeptical/angry when a sequel to Ridley Scott‘s Blade Runner was announced, and I was one of them. But after seeing trailers, and seeing how gorgeous it looked, my mind changed. Just like that Blade Runner: 2049 became my most anticipated movie of 2017. And I thought that even before seeing  the great behind-the-scenes videos from VICE‘s Kim Taylor Bennet’s set visit in Budapest, which has tons of never-before-seen footage from the film, along with interviews with directors Denis Villeneuve and Ridley Scott, as well as stars Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, and Jared Leto.

The first of these VICE Talks Films features gives an in-depth look at the making of the movie, from the stunning, massive sets that were used instead of green screens, to how they recreated the famous blaster and Spinner car from the original, and insight into some of the changes that have happened to the earth of Blade Runner over the decades. It might not seem possible, but it’s a far worse place to live than before. Yes, even though Ryan Gosling lives there.

“Part of the challenge, at least initially, was try not to be impressed by the environment–that this, in some way, had to be the only thing I’d ever known as a character.” That’s why Ryan Gosling is a professional. If I had been on those amazing sets every day, even after months and months of shooting, I would have shown up every morning screaming, “Holy **** look at this ****ing place!”

And while the cast was unwilling to give a lot away about the plot and their characters, we’re very intrigued by these “seismic events” that have happened in the intervening years to make the climate harsher and more brutal, and how big a role they will play in the story. (Although the idea of dining at a “worm farm” doesn’t sound very appetizing.) We’re also thrilled that it doesn’t sound like the movie will answer the famous question of whether or not Deckard is a replicant, but we still would have loved to have heard the conversation Harrison Ford and Ridley Scott had when they finally settled it. (I’m #TeamReplicant, but only because I like being right.)

The second video focuses on the legacy of the first movie, and how it not only influenced the look and feel of this film, but how it has been doing so to films ever since it was released. It also touches upon how the themes of Blade Runner: 2049 are relevant to our own world today, and how that’s still true of the original. And while it thankfully won’t answer the great Deckard question, we’re excited it will settle other questions from the original, while giving us new ones to debate.

It’s impossible not to see the visual influence of the original movie across countless other films, but it had never occurred to me how much it’s score had its own lasting legacy.

It’s clear now that we–okay, I–should have known that Ridley Scott would never have handed over the reigns to Blade Runner unless he was positive it was in the hands of someone who truly understood what made the original such an important part of cinematic history. But at this point I’m honestly starting to think it’s possible Denis Villeneuve’s sequel might even be–dare I say it–better.

Especially since this movie will pay homage to the original without merely being a “replicant” of it. Plus now we don’t have to worry about them ruining the ending of the first one.

Some questions should never be answered.

But what do you think? Were you skeptical at first? How do you feel about this sequel after learning more about it? Take a spinner in our comments section below and let us know.

Featured Image: Warner Bros.
Images: Vice

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