Blade Runner 2049 has three prequel shorts, the last from director of Samurai Champloo and Cowboy Bebop

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The original Blade Runner, starring Harrison Ford and directed by Ridley Scott, was released in 1982 and took place in 2019. The follow-up, Blade Runner 2049, is jumping ahead a bit into the future as we’ve nearly reached the time period for the original film and have yet to develop totally realistic synthetic androids called replicants. Oh well, Back to the Future didn’t get it right either. Or Demolition Man for that matter.

But now, to build a bit of history between the original film and its sequel, director Denis Villeneuve had some friends create three short prequel pieces that outline some of the important events that transpire in the Blade Runner universe between the two films. And don’t look for low budget, made-for-TV bridge material here; the first stars Jared Leto, playing the same role from the forthcoming film, the second features a convincingly serious Dave Bautista, and third was created by legendary anime director Shinichirô Watanabe (Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo).

Blade Runner 2049 debuts October 6, 2017.

Shinichirô Watanabe – Blade Runner 2049: Black Out 2022

Luke Scott – Blade Runner 2036: Nexus Dawn

Luke Scott – Blade Runner 2048: Nowhere to Run