Any Hardcore Sci-Fi Fan Must Check Out the Films That Connect ‘2049’ and the Original ‘Blade Runner’

It may have taken the better part of 30 years to get a sequel to Blade Runner, but Blade Runner 2049 was more than worth the wait. Denis Villeneuve delivered a film that built upon the original themes of Ridley Scott‘s sci-fi masterpiece while wrangling a talented cast that includes Ryan Gosling, Ana de Armas, and Harrison Ford reprising his role as Blade Runner protagonist Rick Deckard. On top of winning two Academy Awards, Blade Runner 2049 also paved the way for Villeneuve to work on the Dune film—even though he’d later discuss the doubts he had during the filming process.

What Blade Runner fans might not know is that there are a trio of short films that bridge the 30-year gap between the original film and Blade Runner 2049. Not only do these short films provide a deeper look into Blade Runner 2049‘s cast of characters, but they also explore key events in the Blade Runner timeline—even more surprising is the creative talent that brought these films to life.

Two of the ‘Blade Runner’ Short Films Center on Major Characters in ‘Blade Runner 2049’

The first Blade Runner short film, 2036: Nexus Dawn, is centered on ruthless industrialist Niander Wallace (Jared Leto), as he argues for the mass production of his Nexus-9 replicants; he eventually manages to convince the council by having one of these replicants decide between killing Niander or taking his own life. That was followed by 2048: Nowhere to Run, which follows replicant Sapper Morton (Dave Bautista) as he attempts to make a life for himself, eventually bonding with a single mother and her daughter. 2036: Nexus Dawn and 2048: Nowhere to Run add a deeper context to the events of Blade Runner 2049, specifically how replicants transform from being feared and hated to being loyal servants—Wallace’s right-hand woman Luv (Sylvia Hoeks) is utterly committed to carrying out his will, even murdering anyone who stands in his way. On the other hand, Morton winds up using his immense strength to kill a group of muggers, which forces him to go into hiding and sets the stage for Gosling’s Officer K to find him when Blade Runner 2049 begins.

2036: Nexus Dawn and 2048: Nowhere to Run also hold the distinction of being directed by Ridley Scott’s son Luke Scott, who managed to tell a compelling story across both films, despite the fact that they’re only six minutes long. He accomplishes this with shots that push in on the characters, allowing the camera to linger on their faces. That way, the audience can notice the subtle facial expressions that betray a character’s inner emotions, whether it’s Wallace growing irritated with the questions that lawmakers present to him or the desolate look in Bautista’s eyes once Morton is forced to run. In fact, between 2048: Nowhere To Run and the opening of Blade Runner 2049, Bautista cements himself as a phenomenal character actor.

An Anime Legend Directed ‘Blade Runner Black Out 2022’ Which Explains a Major Event in ‘Blade Runner’ Lore

Image via Crunchyroll

The third and final Blade Runner short film, Blade Runner Black Out 2022, took an entirely different approach from 2036: Nexus Dawn and 2048: Nowhere to Run. It was an anime short under the direction of Shinichirō Watanabe, and watching Blade Runner Black Out 2022 it’s pretty clear that this is a Watanabe project as it features the signature mix of violence and character dynamics that he deployed in Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo. Blade Runner Black Out 2022 also features a major moment in Blade Runner history, as replicants Iggy (Jovan Jackson) and Trixie (Luci Christian) wind up destroying the Tyrell Corporation’s servers, causing a massive blackout. This eventually leads to Tyrell going bankrupt and Niander Wallace rising to power with his new replicants.

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Blade Runner Black Out 2022 wouldn’t be the only time that the worlds of Blade Runner and anime collided. Blade Runner: Black Lotus, which takes place in between Blade Runner Black Out 2022 and 2036: Nexus Dawn follows replicant Elle (Jessica Henwick) as she discovers she was built with a secret purpose. Blade Runner: Black Lotus was sadly caught in the Great Max Purge of 2022, but it and the trio of short films prove that there’s still life in the Blade Runner universe. Blade Runner fans should definitely check out these films while waiting for Blade Runner 2099.

Source : collider.com