Between the events of Blade Runner and Blade Runner 2049, much has happened in the dystopian, neo-Los Angeles future, including the era of replicant prohibition.
To help bridge the first Blade Runner, which was released in 1982, with Blade Runner 2049, director Luke Scott has created a short film that examines Niander Wallace’s role in the decision to overturn the prohibition ruling.
Thanks to a timeline Warner Bros. showcased at San Diego Comic-Con, we already know quite a bit about Wallace. He’s the scientist who helped end world hunger by pioneering “advancements in genetically modified food ... marking an end to a global crisis.” That was in 2025. It wasn’t until 11 years later, in 2036 when the short film takes place, that Wallace introduces his new replicant, the Nexus 9.
Wallace spent more than a decade improving upon “Tyrell’s [of the Tyrell Corporation] genetic engineering and memory implantation methods,” creating a replicant that would be absolutely controllable and obedient. The short film takes place around this invention, when Leto brings one of his replicants to a council meeting, showing just how obedient and advanced his line of replicants could be.
Much like the Alien: Covenant short films that were released ahead of the movie’s premiere, Scott’s short film is an explainer more than anything else. It is very well done, however, and puts a spotlight on Leto’s intriguing Wallace.
Blade Runner 2049 will be released on Oct. 6.
