Key Takeaways:
– Ridley Scott’s ‘Blade Runner’ recently celebrated its 42nd anniversary.
– Screenwriter Hampton Fancher originally wanted Robert Mitchum for the lead role, but Ridley Scott opted for Dustin Hoffman.
– Harrison Ford wasn’t originally considered for the lead role, but took over after Hoffman left.
– Ford’s experience filming ‘Blade Runner’ was far from pleasant due to issues with creative differences.
Unearthing the Blade Runner Casting Saga
Released 42 years ago, the cult-classic sci-fi film ‘Blade Runner’ directed by Ridley Scott still fascinates film buffs around the world. Popularly remembered for the not-so-glamorous side of Harrison Ford’s acting pedigree, the role of Rick Deckard went through a series of casting considerations before finding its match in Ford.
Ridley Scott’s Dustin Hoffman Dream for Blade Runner
Intriguingly, according to insider reports, Harrison Ford wasn’t the top pick for Blade Runner. Adapted from Philip K. Dick’s 1968 dystopian sci-fi novel ‘Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?’, screenwriter Hampton Fancher had initially visualized actor Robert Mitchum for the role. But the director, Ridley Scott, was more inclined towards casting Dustin Hoffman.
Hot off winning his first Best Actor Oscar for ‘Kramer vs Kramer’, Hoffman was renowned for his unique non-macho public image. The same image that seemingly drove Scott and producer Michael Deeley to cast him. Yet, Hoffman dropped the chance, leaving a statement, “I’ve no idea why they asked me to play such a macho character.”
Producer Deeley shed some light on Hoffman’s departure from the movie. His enthusiastic, though overzealous approach towards the role, would have drastically changed the script, slowing down the production. Hence, Hoffman’s exit from the project turned out to be pivotal for the classic film’s narrative.
Harrison Ford’s Difficult Journey with Blade Runner
After Hoffman, and contemplating several other choices, Scott finally narrowed down on Harrison Ford. Having already raced to fame with roles in Star Wars and Indiana Jones, Ford was seeking roles to showcase his dramatic depth, which landed him into the complex character of Rick Deckard in’ Blade Runner’.
However, the film’s journey didn’t turn out to be as exciting for the actor as initially hoped. Released in 1982, the film only managed to rake $41.8 million at the box office and had mixed reviews from critics. Ford’s own dissatisfaction with the movie was mostly due to his creative differences with Scott. Ford reflected on his experience stating, “It was a f**king nightmare. I thought that the film had worked without the narration. But now I was stuck re-creating that narration.”
Interestingly, Ford was bound by contract to produce voiceovers despite initially agreeing with Scott to go ahead without it. This, coupled with the behind-the-scenes drama, unraveled an unfavorable experience for Ford on the Blade Runner set. Still, he revisited the role in 2017 for the sequel, Blade Runner 2049, directed by Denis Villeneuve.
Blade Runner’s narrative and casting journey reiterates that the world behind the scenes in Hollywood films often has as much drama and plot twists as the stories themselves. Currently, Blade Runner is available for streaming on Max. As we rejoice in the cult-classic’s 42nd anniversary, we can only marvel at how vastly the film could have differed if Hoffman hadn’t dropped out, and Harrison Ford wasn’t cast.
