Blade Runner Anime Series Set at Adult Swim, Crunchyroll

[InuYashaCrusade]

https://variety.com/2018/tv/news/bla...ll-1203047083/

“Blade Runner” is coming to the small screen as an animated series.

Variety has learned that Alcon Television Group has partnered with Adult Swim and Crunchyroll to produce and distribute a new anime series inspired by “Blade Runner 2049.”

“Blade Runner-Black Lotus,” as it will be called, will consist of 13 half-hour episodes. Details of the plot are being kept under wraps, but it is known that the story will take place in 2032 and will include some established characters from the “Blade Runner” universe.

“I first saw ‘Blade Runner’ in 1982, at age 11,” said Jason DeMarco, SVP and creative director of Adult Swim on-air. “It has remained one of the defining films of my life. To be able to explore more of this universe, with the incredible talent we have on board, is a dream come true.”

The series will be produced by animation studio Sola Digital Arts. Shinji Aramaki and Kenji Kamiyama will direct all episodes of the premiere season, which will follow their current directorial work on the upcoming “Ghost in the Shell” series reboot. Shinichiro Watanabe will serve as creative producer. Watanabe previously wrote and directed the anime short film “Blade Runner Black Out 2022,” which served as one of three anime short prequels to “Blade Runner 2049.” Aramaki also worked on “Black Out 2022” in the art department.

Alcon’s Andrew Kosove, Broderick Johnson, Laura Lancaster, Al-Francis Cuenca, and Sola Digital Art’s Joseph Chou will executive produce. Alcon’s Ben Roberts will serve as co-executive producer. Production IG’s Mitsuhisa Ishikawa is participating as production adviser.

“’Blade Runner’ is a seminal work, and its influence permeates the genre,” said Sae Whan Song, head of business development for Crunchyroll. “Adult Swim shares our excitement to bring this new series to fans, and we’re looking forward to building on this franchise together.”

Adult Swim will have the worldwide rights to distribute the English dubbed versions of the series excluding Asia, and will air the English dubbed episodes of the series on its anime programming block, Toonami. Crunchyroll will handle worldwide streaming for its community of more than 45 million registered users and 2 million subscribers. Adult Swim and Crunchyroll are both divisions of WarnerMedia.

“Blade Runner 2049” debuted in theater in Oct. 2017. Produced in part by Alcon Entertainment, the film starred Ryan Gosling and saw the return of Harrison Ford in the role of Rick Deckard, which he originated in the first “Blade Runner” film. It went on to gross over $250 million worldwide.

“The ‘Blade Runner’ universe is an incredibly deep well for story and character with its world and mythology that audiences have been debating and talking about since inception,” said Kosove and Johnson. “We are excited to continue exploring that world via this anime series.”

[oilers73]

Pass.

[bferr1972]

Count me in.

[sandman slim]

Unlike yesterday's Cowboy Bebop atrocity, this one gets a big ol'...

[Network23]

Oh HELL YEAH!!!

[CinemologyR]

I have faith in this, hopefully it'll more like The Animatrix's The Second Renaissance, that's the style i would think is best

[MifuneFan]

Sounds like an ideal universe for an anime.

[Rodney-2187]

I'll preorder the steelbook right now!

[Mr. Chaverria]

Sure. I'd be game for this. It's a really interesting world. Kind of wish I could see more of what happens after 2049 in a live action. But... I'll take what I can take.

[Fakejb]

yes! ive hoped for an animated blade runner since the short.

[Himmel]

Blade Runner: Black Lotus Sets Voice Cast

Adult Swim and Crunchyroll have revealed the characters and stellar English and Japanese voice cast of its anticipated animated series Blade Runner: Black Lotus, inspired by the Blade Runner movie franchise.

Cast includes Jessica Henwick, Arisa Shida, Will Yun Lee, Shinshu Fuji, Samira Wiley, Takako Honda, Brian Cox, Wes Bentley, Josh Duhamel, Taiten Kusunoki, Peyton List, Yoshiko Sakakibara, Stephen Root, Hochu Otsuka, Barkhad Abdi, Takayuki Kinba, Gregg Henry, Masane Tsukayama, Henry Czerny, Akio Nojima, Jason Spisak and Kazuki Yao.

Shinji Aramaki (Appleseed) and Kenji Kamiyama (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex) will direct all 13 episodes. The series is produced by Alcon Entertainment and animation studio Sola Digital Arts, with Shinichiro Watanabe serving as a creative producer.

Adult Swim will air the English language version on the network’s anime programming block Toonami and Crunchyroll will stream the series in Japanese with subtitles. Both will offer the series to viewers worldwide outside of Asia.

A first look at the series will be unveiled during the show’s online panel beginning at 5 pm PT/8 pm ET on July 23 at Comic-Con@Home 2021. Panelists will include Aramaki, Kamiyama, Joseph Chou, (executive producer), Wes Gleason (voice director), Henwick (voice of Elle), and Jason DeMarco (co-creator of Toonami/senior vice-president and creative director for Adult Swim/moderator). (*)

[dallywhitty]

Wallace has a son???

[CyberpunkCentral]

It's a series? I thought it was going to be an anime movie.

[InuYashaCrusade]

Originally Posted by CyberpunkCentral

It's a series? I thought it was going to be an anime movie.

It's a 13 episode series to be aired on Toonami

[Rizor]

Hey that's a good cast! And Wes Bentley replacing Jared Leto is a great choice.

[Rodney-2187]

Comic-Con @ Home 2021: Your Guide to the TV Panels That Will Be Streaming
https://tvline.com/2021/07/09/comic-...-panels-dates/

FRIDAY, JULY 23

5 pm PT BLADE RUNNER: BLACK LOTUS (Adult Swim) | Co-directors Shinji Aramaki and Kenji Kamiyama, EP Joseph Chou, voice director Wes Gleason and voice cast member Jessica Henwick preview the anime series.

[Rodney-2187]

Blade Runner: Black Lotus | A Crunchyroll and Adult Swim Production | OFFICIAL TRAILER - YouTube

[Rodney-2187]

Blade Runner: Black Lotus | Comic-Con@Home 2021 - YouTube

[CrazyBlu-RayFan]

Oof, this doesn't look great. I'm so freaking hopeful this is just a bad trailer but so far besides the look this feels nothing like Blade Runner.

[willbfree]

At 1:14 that looks like Ray McCoy from Westwood’s Blade Runner video game. I hope it is!