The Blade Runner 2099 TV series for Amazon Prime Video looks to be coming together nicely.
We've learned more on the plot and stars that will be leading the production.
Apple TV+ might be the current king of sci-fi streaming, but Prime Video has ambitions to steal that crown. Not only has it had enormous success with Fallout this year already, but there's a few shows and films in the pipeline that could do the trick.
As well as a second season of its most recent hit, a whole universe of movies and TV series based on the Warhammer 40K tabletop games are planned, and Ryan Gosling of Barbie and Blade Runner 2049 fame is set to star in Project Hail Mary, based on a another novel from the author of The Martian.
However, speaking of Blade Runner, it could be a related new show that trumps them all. Production on Blade Runner 2099 is underway and the TV sequel to Gosling's movie (itself a follow-up to the 1982 original) has the heritage to be the streaming service's biggest hit yet.
We previously found out that Michelle Yeoh (Star Trek: Discovery, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) will be one of the lead characters in the new series and now we've heard who will join her.
Industry insider Daniel Richtman revealed on his Patreon page that Hunter Schafer (The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, Cuckoo) will co-star alongside Yeoh.
Richtman also previously revealed plot details of the previously, highly-secretive show. It is set in Los Angles in 2099 – 50 years after the exploits of the last move. Schafer plays Cora who partners with suspected replicant and Blade Runner Olwen (Yeoh) as they encounter a "widening conspiracy" that threatens LA.
The series will be directed by Jonathan Van Tulleken, who has most recently helmed a couple of episodes of Disney+'s excellent Shōgun. He has also previously worked on the British street crime drama Top Boy, which can currently be seen on Netflix.
We suspect Blade Runner 2099 will be somewhat a step up for him though, considering the level of cinematography the two movies achieved – it'll be interesting to see how much he can pull off with a tighter budget.
Amazon is certainly betting big on his talents and the show in general. Although we're unlikely to see the results on our streaming devices and TVs until late 2025 at the very earliest, considering the amount of work that still needs to be done.
