Fans of the Blade Runner franchise had something to celebrate when it was announced that a limited series was being produced for Prime Video with Michelle Yeoh set to star, and now there’s even more reason to get excited as it’s just been revealed that Furiosa’s Tom Burke has also joined Blade Runner 2099. Burke starred in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga as Praetorian Jack, the commander of the War Rig who meets a sad ending at the hands of Chris Hemsworth’s Dementus.
Per Deadline, Burke has been cast in Blade Runner 2099 alongside Maurizio Lombardi, who portrayed Inspector Pietro Ravini in the Netflix limited series Ripley. They join the previously announced Yeoh on the production, which will serve as a sequel to both the 1992 original and its 2017 follow-up, Blade Runner 2049. Ridley Scott will return as executive producer, much like he did on Denis Villeneuve’s Ryan Gosling vehicle, which went on to gross $349 million at the box office and win two Academy Awards.
Plot details for Blade Runner 2099 remain under wraps for now, but filming has begun in Prague, and will switch to Barcelona before it’s all said and done. Silka Luisa also serves as a producer and showrunner for the series, which bodes well for the Prime Video offering, as she was previously the showrunner on the critically acclaimed Apple TV+ thriller Shining Girls which starred the incomparable Elisabeth Moss.
When Does Blade Runner 2099 Come Out?
Given the fact that Blade Runner 2099 just began production, it’s safe to say that its premiere on Prime Video is still a long way off. Principal photography could take a few months, and following that, the filmmakers will go to work adding in what undoubtedly will be an impressive barrage of visual effects. Fans hoping for a 2025 release might have to wait until 2026 for it to debut, but according to another executive producer, Michael Green, it will be worth the wait.
Green recently sat down with The Direct to give an update on Blade Runner 2099, saying that what he’s seen so far of the series has been “stunning,” while at the same time heaping praise upon Luisa for creating something truly unique that expands the Blade Runner universe even further.
“We’re filming now. Showrunner Silka Luisa has created an incredible show. I’ve seen dailies. They’re stunning. I’ve read the script. You know, they’ve seen the scripts. I am very excited for how she’s evolved the world and made it bigger. It’s a really impressive, intelligent, emotional story.”
Needless to say, we’re excited about this one, and are eager to see what everyone brings to the table. Yeoh’s award-winning performance in Everything Everywhere All at Once was second to none, proving that she has what it takes to lead her own series. Hopefully, Burke will also get a chance to shine even brighter than he did in Furiosa in what is sure to be a show that will have the attention of sci-fi fans and critics everywhere when it makes its debut. We’ll have more news on Prime Video’s Blade Runner 2099 as it becomes available.