‘Blade Runner’ Sequel Set Accident Leaves One Dead


The upcoming Blade Runner sequel has suffered a serious setback in an accident which has claimed the life of one set worker. There are no details as to the cause of the accident as of yet, but a spokesperson for the Blade Runner film says an investigation is underway. Cast and crew mourn the loss of the construction worker, who had been assigned as a part of the set dismantling crew, while the majority of Blade Runner‘s crew had already moved on to another filming location.

Blade Runner Loses One Of Its Crew In An Accident

The unnamed crew member was a 28-year-old Hungarian construction worker employed to help dismantle one of the Blade Runner location sets in Budapest, reports The Hollywood Reporter. The accident occurred on August 25, when the construction worker was standing beneath the platform, which had been used to elevate the set. The set collapsed, crushing the Blade Runner worker beneath its mass.

A spokesperson for Origo Studios declined to speculate on the cause of the accident, only saying that an investigation into the Blade Runner accident was already underway.

While the question remains why the Blade Runner worker had been beneath the structure at the time of the collapse, there’s no denying that film sets are dangerous places. Even in cases where safety precautions are diligently followed, accidents will still happen and that may just be the case for this Blade Runner tragedy.

Harrison Ford, who reprises his Rick Deckard role in this Blade Runner sequel, suffered an accident of his own while filming Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Force Awakens. In that case, a button for the operation of a hydraulic door hadn’t been properly labeled and someone had pressed the button while Ford stood in the doorway. In that case, the studio was found to have been at fault.

Blade Runner Sequel Casts Jared Leto, But Who Will He Play?

While the accidental death of a worker on one of the Blade Runner sets is certainly a tragedy, the show must go on, and so has filming with much of the cast and crew already set up at a new location. A portion of that cast, as reported by University Herald, has already been shared with the public, even before producers have settled on an official title for the Blade Runner follow-up film. Aside from Harrison Ford’s return as Deckard, Blade Runner 2 will also feature Ryan Gosling, Mackenzie Davis, and Robin Wright.

New casting details reveal that Jared Leto has also signed on to star in the untitled Blade Runner sequel project, though no new details have emerged as to whom Leto might be playing. In fact, little is known of the plot at all, so even speculation is difficult at this early point. Nevertheless, Blade Runner fans are already suggesting that Leto might once again be playing a popular villain.

Blade Runner fans are hoping that Jared, who proved his fascination for method acting with Suicide Squad, will be cast as the antagonist replicant, Roy Batty, who was played by actor Rutger Hauer in the first film. Certainly, Leto could pull off an updated version of that Blade Runner fan favorite, if that is the direction the film takes.

Denis Villeneuve, who made a mark for his unique style of directing with last year’s Sicario and the 2013 film Prisoners, is directing the Blade Runner sequel. The original Blade Runner film and the upcoming sequel are both based off of characters created by Philip K. Dick. The science fiction author is also behind the stories of Minority Report and The Man in the High Castle.

The tentatively titled Blade Runner 2 film is scheduled for an October 6, 2017 theatrical debut.

[Image via Warner Bros.]

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