For anyone who liked Blade Runner 2049, two hours and 44 minutes, which was the run time of the movie, were not enough. For others, it was one of the major reasons why the movie performed so bad at the box office. But, as it turns out, there was a possibility of releasing the movie in two parts or even making it a stunning four-hour movie! In a recent interview with Screen Crush, director Denis Villeneuve revealed that the first cut of Blade Runner 2049 was four hours long and that there was a discussion of the two parts movie in the editing room.
“The thing is, it’s true that the first cut was four hours and at one point we were like, ‘Okay, do we go to the producer and release it in two?'” said Villeneuve. “But let’s say the idea of the movie being in two parts didn’t get out of the editing room. No, the best incarnation of the movie is what is in the theater. What was striking is that the four-hour cut was quite strong. But personally I prefer the one that is in the theater because it’s more elegant, I would say. But there are some scenes that were like [makes boosh sound]. Quite strong.”
Asked whether there is a chance we will see the four hour cut of Blade Runner 2049, Villeneuve gave an answer that won’t make fans happy: “I will not show it to anyone, the four hours, it doesn’t work. The movie you see right now is the one.”
Despite earning just $258 million against $185 million budget (which is considered a big letdown in studio’s eyes), the movie gained widespread acclaims from critics who described it as “visually stunning and narratively satisfying.” Villeneuve previously expressed a desire to make a sequel if the movie was a success, but with low box office numbers, that will hardly be the case.
