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Nobody Can Replicate (or Replicant?) That Response
Harrison Ford is awesome.
That pitch-perfect response by Mr. Ford was delivered this past weekend at Comic Con 2017 in San Diego, California. When arguably the greatest action movie star in cinematic history decides to return to his iconic characters 20-30 years later (well, 32 for Star Wars), it’s a blessing for himself and fans alike. Harrison Ford was great in The Force Awakens and looks fit and ready for a brutal fight in Blade Runner 2049.
And, if rumors are true, fans will jump for joy when the next Indiana Jones movie returns to theaters with Mr. Ford and an indie film director by the name of Steven Spielberg in just a few years time.
In the spirit of this blog post, we should ask ourselves “WWHFS?”
Translation: What Would Harrison Ford Say?
Answer: Whatever it is, you can bet your ass it’ll be awesome.
Like his movies.
2049 Will Be Here Before You Know It
Science fiction was redefined with Ridley Scott’s 1982 cinematic benchmark Blade Runner.
Later this year, in October of 2017 (or 2049 in movie years), the highly-anticipated sequel will arrive in movie theaters. Blade Runner 2049s trailers have revealed that Harrison Ford will return to be a prominent player in the new story. Mr. Ford’s portrayal as Rick Deckard is iconic. In the overarching movie universe, Rick Deckard doesn’t receive equal fandom to Han Solo or Indiana Jones. To be fair, Han Solo and Indiana Jones are simply on a higher level. That’s a fact. However, in science fiction circles, Rick Deckard is not only a household name, but a beloved character among fans.
That’s also a fact. With past generations and new generations expected to buy tickets to the sequel this October, Rick Deckard’s cultural influence will only grow with Blade Runner 2049.
The original Blade Runner is a strange, entertainingly wild and curious journey into a world that has inspired science fiction films throughout the past few decades. And yet its stunning visuals and dark city setting in a dystopian future remains distinctly original. Thankfully, the practical effects (when possible) appear to be the storytelling preference for director Denis Villeneuve and his team. Interestingly, Warner Bros. Pictures decided that, in an effort to promote Blade Runner 2049, they would create a nearly 4-minute video that takes fans inside the making of this film.
A recent “making of” video with cast and production team interviews, plus bonus footage, released months before the theatrical release?
What?
The old rules for marketing films has, for sometime now (as explored many times on Jimmy’s Daily Planet), been increasingly dissolved in favor of teasing disclosures and a long, long train of intrigue. Thus far, this extended promotional strategy appears to have worked for recent blockbusters (Interstellar, Jurassic World, Star Wars, etc.). This “Time to Live” featurette for Blade Runner 2049 is, even in the “nothing is private anymore” era, pushing the envelope for cinematic marketing.
Judge for yourself.
Maybe it’s just me, but I feel very strongly about the following:
I want that Frank Sinatra singing hologram machine!
Oh, and Blade Runner 2049 (yes, I’ll say it alongside cast member Dave Bautista) looks better than the original.
Only the future will tell in 2049 on October 6, 2017.
Happy Monday
First Star Wars in 2015 and now Indiana Jones in 2020.
Yes, Harrison Ford is returning to play a few of his most iconic (and beloved) cinematic characters. Mr. Ford was awesome as Han Solo in The Force Awakens and there’s no reason to suspect he will let fans down as Professor Jones in 2020 with Steven Spielberg at his side.
Well, as long as George Lucas doesn’t get the final call on the script (cough cough Kingdom of the Crystal Skull).
However, 2020 is still a long way off into the future. If only there was another iconic character Mr. Ford could revive in the meantime…
The original Blade Runner from 1982, a model for many subsequent science-fiction films, seems to have a worthy successor in Blade Runner 2049 based solely on the first full-length trailer released today.
Have a Better Week Than Last Week.
2049 is…2017?
Whatever the industry, teaser trailers for movies have changed the game of advertising and marketing.
Exhibit 1,234 (a random number, but it’s a fun number to write and see written) is the teaser trailer for Blade Runner 2049, which is the long-awaited sequel to the 1982 science-fiction film that’s helped define the genre. This trailer release was covered on Jimmy’s Daily Planet back on December 19, 2016 when Warner Bros. Pictures debuted the film’s first look. However, after watching this same trailer dozens and dozens of times (on my computer, phone and Apple TV), something finally clicked. And that is that movie trailers, like Blade Runner 2049, are the modern equivalent of the “Mad Men” era of print ads.
Teaser trailers tell a story with just enough details to inform the viewer, yet not enough information to satisfy one brief look into the movie/the product. The point of this blog post is to consider that the companies or organizations that can successfully tap into and transfer the captivating storytelling power of a teaser trailer into their marketing and/or advertising business plan for their clients will win the day.
And the next day…and the next day…and, you get it.
Even if you haven’t seen Blade Runner or even if you aren’t a science fiction fan, watch this teaser trailer and try to say you aren’t at least slightly intrigued about what happens next in this futuristic world.
Ryan Gosling’s character was right: “Things were simpler then.”
And things are also more exciting now.
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