The first trailer for the long-awaited sequel to the legendary sci-fi movie Blade Runner was revealed on Monday, December 19th. Blade Runner 2049 takes place thirty years after the original and stars Ryan Gosling as the new Blade Runner named Officer K. Officer K stumbles upon a “long-buried secret” that has the potential to destroy the remains of society. The discovery prompts him to search for former LAPD officer Rick Deckard, who might hold the key to this mystery.
Harrison Ford reprises his role as Officer Deckard from the original film. Officer K states to Deckard that “things were simpler then”, regarding the society depicted in the first movie. It is unclear what exactly Deckard is referring to, but his tone suggests something serious. Deckard has barricaded himself in an abandoned building somewhere in a desert. The desert, itself, is a wasteland of its own, featuring weather-worn buildings and the decapitated head of a decrepit statue with its inner frame exposed. Deckard is incredibly guarded and approaches Officer K with a raised gun when he first encounters him.
The atmosphere of the trailer is very familiar — dystopian Los Angeles is filled with the same dark, moody colors and eerie mist. A shot of Officer K traveling through the bustling city, with neon signs flickering in the background, captures the same aesthetics from the original film. The desert scene is cast in bright orange, making it seem surreal and outlandish. The unreal, almost bizarre neo-noir Los Angeles has changed in those thirty years, but the trailer still feels like the audience is peering into the same universe.
All in all, the trailer does not reveal too much information about the movie but shows enough to pique the interest of viewers. Blade Runner 2049 is set to hit theaters on October 6, 2017.