Though it divided critics at the time of its release in 1982, Blade Runner has gone on to be considered by many as one of the most stylistic science-fiction films in the genre’s entire history. Though it had a infamously troubled production, it consolidated Harrison Ford’s post-Star Wars credentials and and helped put Ridley Scott’s name firmly on the A-List of directors. The 2017 release of a sequel, Blade Runner 2049,(set thirty years later but filmed two years before the film’s original 2019 timeline – enough to give anyone a headache), also divided critics, with many applauding the visuals once again but feeling the story itself would not stand the test of time as well as the original.
It now appears that US broadcast channel Adult Swim has given the go-ahead for an animated series based on the concepts of both films, taking place in the world of 2032 and with elements from the original. Blade Runner – Black Lotus, has been devised as a series of thirteen episodes, each running to thirty minutes and with a distinct anime feel. Industry site Deadline notes that the project is a collaboration between Sola Digital Arts (responsible for Ultraman) Adult Swim, Alcon Entertainment and Chrunchvroll.
The plan is for Shinji Aramaki (Appleseed) and Kenji Kamiyama (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex) to share directing duties. Shinichiro Watanabe who wrote and directed the anime short film Blade Runner: Black Out 2022 is on board as creative producer.
