TIME

Do androids dream of electric sequels?

MORE THAN anything, Blade Runner is a story about the end of empire, capitalism at its grim logical conclusion. That is the case for both the 1982 classic directed by Ridley Scott and the long-awaited sequel, Blade Runner 2049, starring Harrison Ford and Ryan Gosling. The profit motive has destroyed the environment; the wealthy have fled to interplanetary colonies; and those who remain on Earth—humans and androids alike—live in dense squalor congested by pollution and garish advertisements. And yet, in the hands

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from TIME

TIME2 min read
Helping The World Live Better
In 2018, we worked with Bill Gates on a special issue of TIME dedicated to the power of optimism. Gates’ view, shared by many of the issue’s contributors, was that people are wired to focus on when things go wrong and when they don’t work. Sometimes
TIME5 min readWorld
Thrust Into Her New Role As The Face Of Russian Opposition, Yulia Navalnaya Is Ready For Her Revolution
In Russian custom, the soul of the dead is believed to remain on earth for 40 days, finishing its business among the living before it moves on to the afterlife. Surviving friends and relatives often spend this period in mourning and reflection. But t
TIME3 min read
Modi-fying India
In April, two Indian writers published an ode to their Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. Titled “Forever in Our Hearts,” it recounts his achievements while singing his praises. Such gushing reverence captures the essence of Modi’s popularity at home and

Related Books & Audiobooks