“As speculated, I am proud and privileged and honored to announce that I am joining the cast of the new Blade Runner, Blade Runner 2, directed by the amazing Denis Villeneuve,” he says in a video posted on Facebook and Twitter. Unfortunately, he didn’t spill any details about the character he’ll portray in the long-awaited sequel to the 1982 neo-noir sci-fi hit; instead, both the video and accompanying message focus on how thrilled he is to tell fans.
I’m so excited to be able to share this news! Thank you for your support in everything I do. It’s humbling. pic.twitter.com/1hlRfdLF6v
— Dave Bautista (@DaveBautista) April 4, 2016
Still untitled, Blade Runner 2 stars Ryan Gosling and Robin Wright, and it brings back original star Harrison Ford. The film is scheduled to begin production in July, with Villeneuve directing. The script was written by Hampton Francher and Michael Green. While plot details haven’t been announced yet, the film is reported to pick up decades after where Blade Runner left off. Ridley Scott, Frank Guistra, Bill Carraro, and Tim Gamble serve as executive producers.
The film marks yet another high-profile project for Bautista, who most recently appeared in the latest James Bond film, Spectre, and in Heist. He has multiple other projects in the works as well, including a reboot of the Kickboxer franchise. With his wrestling and MMA training, Bautista has proven able to kick butt (literally) in action roles, so we expect to see him getting physical during the film, whether that be as a good guy or a villain.
The Blade Runner sequel hits theaters on January 12, 2018.
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