Ridley Scott has announced that a live-action television adaption of his hit cyberpunk film Blade Runner is currently in the works. The famed director also revealed more details about the upcoming Alien television series.
Speaking with BBC Radio 4’s Today, Scott said the television version of Blade Runner would likely span 10 one-hour episodes. “We [have already] written the plot for Blade Runner and the bible. So we’re already presenting Blade Runner as a TV show, the first 10 hours,” he revealed.
A bible is a plan screenwriters and producers put together to further detail the world, plot and characters of a TV show beyond what’s been written in the scripts.
There’s currently no word yet as to who will be attached to write or direct the series, nor when it’s slated to premiere. There’s also no word as to how it’ll tie into the original 1982 film or its 2017 sequel, Blade Runner 2049.
Earlier this month, an anime series based on the film, Blade Runner: Black Lotus, premiered on Adult Swim and Crunchyroll.
"We've already written the pilot for Blade Runner.. and Alien has now been written for pilot"
Director Ridley Scott, says the Blade Runner and Alien TV shows are in development and they are putting together the 'bible' of both projectshttps://t.co/niPYpaHxfG #R4Today pic.twitter.com/4vTPGyZXtz
— BBC Radio 4 Today (@BBCr4today) November 22, 2021
News of the new series follows the December 2020 announcement that another of Scott’s films, Alien, is also being turned into a television show. Slated to premiere on FX, it’ll be “the first Alien story set on Earth – and by blending both the timeless horror of the first Alien film with the non-stop action of the second, it’s going to be a scary thrill ride that will blow people back in their seats.”
Noah Hawley, the creator of Legion, will serve as showrunner.
In his interview with Today, Scott revealed that a pilot is currently being written, and that the series overall will likely consist of between eight and 10 episodes, each an hour in length.
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Blade Runner and Alien are considered two of Ridley Scott’s most famous and impactful films. Alien, in particular, has spawned numerous prequels, sequels and crossovers.