Blade Runner 2: Sequel to classic sci-fi gets foreboding new title

The film sees Harrison Ford's return to his iconic role as Rick Deckard, alongside Ryan Gosling, Dave Bautista, and Robin Wright

The highly-anticipated Blade Runner sequel has finally received its foreboding title, Blade Runner 2049.

Warner Bros.' confidence in the project seems to be constantly on the rise, perhaps partially thanks to the success of director Denis Villeneuve's recent festival hype with Arrival.

The film previously had been slated for a January 2018 release; a sort of cinematic tundra in the cinematic calendar, settled after the hysteria over Christmas blockbusters and Oscar contenders has died down.

But now, the sequel to Ridley Scott's classic 1982 sci-fi has been bumped up to a far more prime 6 October 2017 release; a far sweeter spot for Harrison Ford's return to his iconic role as Rick Deckard, alongside Ryan Gosling, Dave Bautista, Jared Leto, and Robin Wright.

The film's storyline, penned by original Blade Runner screenwriter Hampton Fancher and Dave Green (also co-writer on the upcoming Alien: Covenant), is tightly under wraps; though the title reveals the film's timeline has naturally progressed, with the original set 30 years earlier in 2019.

The title announcement also accompanied a newly released behind the scenes shot; featuring Scott, Villeneuve, Gosling, and Ford all together, which is a pretty formidable team if you think about it. Though Villeneuve is confident about the project, he's admitted it's, "not possible to live up to the original. It's Ridley Scott. It's one of the best sci-fi films, one of the best films in the past 50 years."

Blade Runner 2049 hits UK cinemas 6 October, 2017.