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Dave Bautista In ‘Blade Runner 2’? Confirmed! ‘Guardians Of The Galaxy’ Actor Joins The Cast

By Stephen Jordan
Published on: 06:57 PST, Apr 4, 2016

Dave Bautista, who is currently filming James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy 2, was rumored to be joining the cast of Denis Villeneuve’s upcoming sequel to the classic science fiction film Blade Runner. This week, Dave Bautista’s casting has officially been confirmed by the studio, according to Deadline.

The actor will be joining a cast that includes Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford (reprising his role as Rick Deckard in the original), and House of Cards’ Robin Wright. It seems that Bautista has been holding onto this bit of news for a while and was even teasing it in the beginning of April on Twitter with a picture of him holding an origami unicorn. In the original Blade Runner, Deckard receives an origami unicorn at the end of the film, referencing a dream that he had. Depending on one’s interpretation of that dream and the unicorn, it may give the slightest clue as to what role Dave Bautista might be playing in this story.

Dave Bautista’s acting career is really beginning to blossom, having previously been a professional wrestler for nearly a decade. Last year, Bautista had a villainous role in the James Bond film Spectre and has a list of movies he will work on in the future, including The Boss, Kickboxer: Vengeance, Bushwick, and Warrior’s Gate. He is also rumored to be in the Highlander remake as The Kurgan.

As for Blade Runner 2, much of the plot details are being kept under wraps, but it’s been stated that the film will be taking place several decades after the ending of the original. Hampton Fancher, who co-wrote the screenplay for Blade Runner, co-wrote the sequel with Michael Green based on an idea from producer Ridley Scott and Fancher. Principal photography is set to begin this summer in July.

The studio’s press release regarding Dave Bautista’s casting in Blade Runner 2 can be read below.

“Dave Bautista will join Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford and Robin Wright in an important supporting role in Alcon Entertainment’s sequel to Ridley Scott’s 1982 masterpiece BLADE RUNNER, it was announced by Alcon co-founders and co-CEO’s Andrew Kosove and Broderick Johnson.

“Director Denis Villeneuve (Sicario, Prisoners) is directing. Principal photography is scheduled to begin July 2016 and the film will be released by Warner Bros. in North America. Sony Pictures Releasing International will distribute in all overseas territories in all media.

“The film is set several decades after the 1982 original, with Harrison Ford reprising his iconic role as Rick Deckard. The film is written by Hampton Fancher and Michael Green, and succeeds the initial story by Fancher and David Peoples based on Philip K. Dick’s novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. Story details, as well as Bautista’s character, are not being revealed.

“Alcon Entertainment acquired the film, television and ancillary franchise rights to BLADE RUNNER in 2011 from the late producer Bud Yorkin and Cynthia Sikes Yorkin to produce prequels and sequels to the iconic science-fiction thriller. Cynthia Sikes Yorkin will produce along with Johnson and Kosove. Bud Yorkin will receive producer credit.

“Frank Giustra and Tim Gamble, CEO’s of Thunderbird Films, will serve as executive producers. Ridley Scott will also executive produce. Bill Carraro will executive produce.

“Bautista recently appeared in Marvel Studios’ blockbuster hit Guardians of the Galaxy and the newest installment of the James Bond franchise Spectre from Columbia Pictures. His upcoming projects include Lionsgate’s 2016 action film Marauders starring Bruce Willis and Adrian Grenier as well as Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 where he will reprise his role as Drax the Destroyer alongside Chris Pratt and Zoe Saldana, due out 2017 from Marvel Studios.”

Blade Runner 2 is currently scheduled for release on January 12, 2018.

[Photo by Ian Gavan/Getty Images for Jaguar Land Rover]

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