Over forty years after it was released, an enduring “Blade Runner” question has been over Harrison Ford’s lead character Rick Deckard and whether he was a replicant – just like the beings he hunted for a living.
Whilst it wasn’t implied in the original theatrical cut, the subsequent director’s cut and final cut are more suggestive in their indications he is – even as no version of the film truly makes it explicit.
In the years since its release, there’s been a debate between not just fans but some of those who made the film. Leading man Harrison Ford and producer Michael Deeley reportedly wanted Deckard to be human, co-writer Hampton Fancher preferred keeping it ambiguous, whilst Scott has stated pretty clearly that Deckard is a replicant.
Ford, out promoting “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” now tells Esquire he always thought Deckard was a replicant. That’s in contrast to long-held reports that Ford himself believed in Deckard’s humanity and argued with Scott over the matter. Ford seemingly does confirm they did argue over the matter:
“I always knew that I was a replicant. I just wanted to push back against it though. I think a replicant would want to believe that they’re human. At least this one did.
That seems pretty definitive, but even so – the film remains open to interpretation, and Denis Villeneuve’s 2017 sequel “Blade Runner 2049” does nothing to confirm or deny Deckard’s replicant nature.
