Ryan Gosling to Star in Blade Runner 2

The Internet is still reeling from hearing Harrison Ford remark to his canine compatriot that “we’re home,” but don’t start shedding tears of joy just yet—they may be lost in the rain due to another Ford sci-fi classic that is making waves today with Blade Runner 2.

Yes, Blade Runner 2 made a major stride toward actuality this afternoon when Ryan Gosling boarded the long-forthcoming sequel to the Ridley Scott cult classic. The news first broke in Deadline, which confirmed that Gosling has signed on to play a main character in a story that still features Harrison Ford in another homecoming of sorts since he will be reprising the role of Rick Deckard.

Gosling, traditionally an actor who shies away from blockbuster cinema in favor of cult classics of a different (and independent) variety like Blue Valentine and Drive, has been convinced to join the sequel that will continue the story of replicant-hunting robot killers over 30 years after the 1982 film flopped at the box office—it of course then rebuilt itself as a science fiction touchstone in popular culture. It likely helped in persuading Gosling that Denis Villeneuve fresh off the very strong Prisoners is directing the picture.

The film is also being written by Hampton Fancher (co-writer of the original film) and Michael Green, and is based on a story by Fancher and Ridley Scott; Scott is also still attached to executive produce the sequel.

Despite this pedigree, it is interesting that Fancher and Scott chose to not only revisit the Blade Runner universe decades after the original film’s ambiguous ending, but that they are gutting that ambiguity by including Deckard as either a human or a death-defying replicant. Either way, it seems to trample over the cryptic, unicorn chasing sendoff for Deckard and Rachael, especially since Scott has repeatedly confirmed after the fact that Deckard was intended to be a replicant.

Perhaps Gosling will play one himself as the central protagonist? After all, everyone loves Roy Batty, so perhaps it is time for his synthetic heir to take center stage in the quest for life?