Hey IMAX fans —and especially to all you Blade Runner enthusiasts!
Earlier this week, IMAX – in partnership with Warner Bros., Sony and Alcon Entertainment – hosted a very special trailer reveal for the upcoming Blade Runner 2049.
The event, held at the IMAX headquarters in Playa Vista, saw the film’s director, Denis Villeneuve, along with stars Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford introduce the trailer and take part in a Q & A where the trio dished on topics ranging from the original Blade Runner, their inspiration for the sequel, and the connection between both films and society today.
There are still pages left in this story. #BladeRunner2049 pic.twitter.com/lsLXlTYikx
— #BladeRunner 2049 (@bladerunner) May 8, 2017
Here is a quick segment from the discussion moderated by Access Hollywood’s Scott Mantz. Make sure you check out the entire video below. Enjoy!
Q: How has the original Blade Runner stood the test of time as a film already so far ahead of its time?
Ryan Gosling: We still haven’t worked out the flying car thing, so that’s disappointing. But I’m being nicer to my electronics just in case.
Harrison Ford: I think it’s fascinating that the original film postulated a technology which, in many ways, we’ve surpassed – and in other ways we’re not quite there.
[Blade Runner 2049] takes into account the 30 years that have passed and references technologies that actually are in place now, and also to me – which is a little bit more interesting – acknowledges and deals with some of the ethical considerations that technology presents us with. There’s no such thing as a free lunch.
And we’re really talking about both the benefit of technology and the social consequences of it in a way that I think is really interesting.
Denis Villeneuve: In 2049, society, for some reason, lost its memory and it’s not in relationship with the story any more in some ways. That is something that is kind of frightening with our world today.
RG: When I first saw it, I was just really struck by how influential it had been on everything I had seen up until that point. But it was also, because I was young, I think it was one of the first films I had seen that it wasn’t clear how I was supposed to feel when it was over. It made me question what it meant to be a human being. It made me question my ability to recognize the hero from the villain. It was this nightmarish vision of the future but sort of presented in this romantic dream-like way. So it was very haunting and really probably one of the first films where I really wondered what happened when it was over. What happened to that world and those characters? So to have the opportunity to really actually physically enter that world and be a part of it and learn the answers to those questions was a wonderful opportunity.
Q: What was the most interesting part of revisiting the character of Rick Decker for the second time?
HF: The character is woven into the story in a way that intrigued me. There is a very strong emotional context. The relationship between the character I play, Decker, and the other characters I found fascinating. I think it’s interesting to develop a character after a period of time – to revisit a character. It was a very interesting experience working with Denis, working with Ryan and the other people involved in the film. It was a very gratifying experience. I really had a good time.”
Q: How does Blade Runner 2049 relate to a modern society?
DV: We are still exploring the themes of memories and empathy. That’s the deeper tissue of the movie in relation to what it means to be human.
— By Andrew Stewart, Manager, Corporate Communications