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Harrison Ford’s Name Game Is in Reverse
The mysterious ways our minds can play tricks is amusing. But when it happens to us, well…
Hold on a second, I seem to have lost my train of thought.
Oh! Now I remember. Or do I?
Blade Runner 2049 arrives in theaters across the country next Friday, October 6th.
That’s something we all know for certain.
10.6.17 is OUR Key
The magic of film is a mysteriously powerful force that not only invites temporary escapism in a theater, but can, with certain movies, offer a long-lasting escape within ourselves.
And there’s that movie and/or scene that will never stop running around in our minds.
The Blade Runner 2049 team has accomplished such a feat. Here is the latest TV spot that Warner Bros. Pictures debuted today for the aforementioned film arriving in cinemas in less than a month on October 6th.
The title of this trailer (yes, trailers have titles now) is, “Begins.”
Seems fitting since fans everywhere simply want their local movie theater’s film projectors to begin playing Blade Runner 2049 already.
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.
Jimmy's Daily Planet 