So far in the run-up to the highly anticipated Blade Runner sequel Blade Runner 2049, we’ve been offered some tantalising glimpses into the Los Angeles of the future in the form of trailers and a short prequel film that fills in the gaps between 2019 and 2049.
Now, the first full clip from the film has been released. Far away from the glittering lights and skyscrapers that are synonymous with Blade Runner, the clip takes us with Ryan Gosling to a vast, desolate wasteland. As Officer K, he approaches the ruins of a dome, which we soon see to be filled with a load of creepy, quiet children. Their caretaker soon reveals himself to be a whole lot more sinister than he first appeared, and as the dome turns out to be a bit of a futuristic sweatshop, we leave the clip with more questions than we had before.
In an interview with Slash Film, director Denis Villeneuve recently explained that with his sequel, he wanted to match the original’s tone. He said, “There was a melancholia in the first movie, a nostalgic feeling of loneliness and existential doubt. A kind of inner paranoia about yourself that I wanted to keep alive in the second movie. I wanted to keep the film noir aesthetic alive, as well. That was very important.” While this clip takes us away from the cyberpunk aesthetics of Blade Runner, it’s evident that Villeneuve has managed to replicate the enduring, haunting tone of the original.
Blade Runner 2049 is set to hit cinemas October 6
