After teasing his involvement in an Instagram post on Saturday, “Guardians of the Galaxy” star Dave Bautista has officially signed on for an important supporting role alongside Harrison Ford, Ryan Gosling and Robin Wright in Denis Villeneuve‘s “Blade Runner” sequel, it was announced Monday by Alcon’s Andrew Kosove and Broderick Johnson.
The film is set several decades after Ridley Scott‘s 1982 original, with Ford reprising his iconic role as Rick Deckard. The sequel was written by Hampton Fancher and Michael Green, and succeeds the initial story by Fancher and David Peoples, based on Philip K. Dick‘s novel “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep.” Plot details, as well as a description of Bautista’s character, are being kept under wraps.
Alcon Entertainment acquired the film, television and ancillary franchise rights to “Blade Runner” in 2011 from the late producer Bud Yorkin and Cynthia Sikes Yorkin to produce prequels and sequels to the iconic sci-fi thriller. Cynthia Sikes Yorkin will produce along with Johnson and Kosove, while Bud Yorkin will receive producer credit.
Frank Giustra and Tim Gamble, CEOs of Thunderbird Films, will serve as executive producers along with Ridley Scott and Bill Carraro.
Principal photography is scheduled to begin in July, and the film will be released by Warner Bros. in North America. Sony Pictures Releasing International will distribute in all overseas territories in all media.
Bautista recently appeared in Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” and the latest installment of the James Bond franchise “Spectre.” His upcoming projects include Lionsgate’s action movie “Marauders” starring Bruce Willis and Adrian Grenier as well as “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” in which he’ll reprise his role as Drax the Destroyer alongside Chris Pratt and Zoe Saldana.
Bautista addressed the exciting “Blade Runner” news in a video that was posted to his social media channels on Monday. Have a look, and let us know what you think of his casting in the comments section below.