Production timeline

Film	Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?	Jeter books	Soldier	Production timeline

Note: Some events may be missing or slightly out-of-order due to a lack of specific dates.

1960s

1968

• Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is published.

1969

• Filmmakers Martin Scorcese and Jay Cocks express interest in adapting Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? into a film, but nothing comes to fruition.

1970s

1974

• Producer Herb Jaffe options a film adaptation of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, but Philip K. Dick is unimpressed by the screenplay written by Jaffe's son, Robert. However, Dick allows Jaffe to renew the option to allow Robert to improve his screenplay, but they eventually allow it to lapse.

1975

• Hampton Fancher unsuccessfully attempts to option Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?.

1977

• Fancher and Brian Kelly option Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

1978

• Fancher writes the first draft of the film later known as Blade Runner. At this point, it is titled after the book. The screenplay convinces Michael Deeley to executive produce the film.
• Deeley submits Fancher's screenplay to various studios.

1979

• Fancher makes rewrites to the screenplay, retitling it in the process, first calling it Android, then Mechanismo and Dangerous Days.
• Ridley Scott declines an offer to direct the film.
• August 17 – Director Robert Mulligan signs on to direct the film.
• December 3 – Mulligan leaves production of the film and Deeley approaches CBS Films to make the film.

1980s

1980

• January 7 – Fancher completes a draft for the film.
• February 21 – Ridley Scott officially signs on as director of the film.
• Late February – CBS Films drops out of production due to a rising projected budget.
• April –
  • Scott begins working with Fancher on a rewrite of the script, a process that lasts about eight months.
  • Associate producer Ivor Powell and production manager John W. Rogers arrange for Syd Mead to meet with Scott. Mead signs on as the film's "visual futurist."
• April 9 – Filmways Pictures picks up the film.
• May – Deeley, Scott, Fancher, Powell, and Katherine Haber move into production offices located at Sunset-Gower Studios.
• July – While performing rewrites with Fancher, Scott suggests Deckard be given a new career title. After searching his home library, Fancher finds a copy of Blade Runner (a movie) (itself initially a proposed film adaptation of The Bladerunner) and suggests the term "Blade Runner." Scott welcomes the idea and suggests it could also be the title of the script, so the rights are purchased for the title of Blade Runner. Scott subsequently considers the title Gotham City, but this is vetoed by Batman co-creator Bob Kane, whose comics are set in Gotham City.
• July 24 – A draft for Blade Runner is completed.
• August – Douglas Trumbull's Entertainment Effects Group begins preliminary work on Blade Runner's special effects.
• August 7 – By this date, Scott approaches Dustin Hoffman for the role of Rick Deckard.
• September – By this time, it is decided that the film will be shot at a backlot rather than on-location.
• September 29 – Hoffman requests the removal of a scene where Roy Batty murders Eldon Tyrell's family.
• October 16 – Hoffman leaves the production.
• Late October – Harrison Ford is cast in the role of Rick Deckard.
• November 17 – Amid Fancher's growing unwillingness to make compromises with the script, Deeley meets with David Peoples to replace Fancher.
• December 11 – Peoples completes his first draft of the film.
• December 15 – Peoples completes another draft of the script.
• December 21 – Fancher leaves his position as screenwriter of the film.
• December 22 – A draft comprised of Peoples' latest draft and previous ideas from Fancher is completed by Scott, Deeley, Powell, and Haber.
• Late December –
  • Filmways Pictures pull out of the production.
  • Less than ten days after Filmways' departure, Deeley secures funding from The Ladd Company, Run Run Shaw, and Tandem Productions.

1981

• February – Trumbull leaves production to focus upon his film Brainstorm. David Dryer – recommended by Trumbull – is interviewed to take his place.
• February 13 – The production moves into Burbank Studios. Most of the early pre-production documentation is mistakenly disposed of in the move.
• February 23 – A draft of Blade Runner is completed.
• March – Matthew Yuricich begins eight months of work on matte paintings for Blade Runner.
• March 9 –
  • Peoples writes Deckard's rooftop voice-over.
  • Principal photography for Blade Runner begins.
  • The scene in Tyrell's office is shot.
• April –
  • Dryer is hired to replace Trumbull as special effects supervisor.
  • Scott asks EEG to redesign their Los Angeles miniature model.
• April 23 – The scene with Deckard at the White Dragon is filmed.
• Late April – The later-deleted scenes of Holden in the hospital are filmed.
• May 14 – An arson fire at Gene Winfield's shop destroys a van and a car he designed for the film.
• June 30 – Principal photography for Blade Runner officially wraps.
• July 9 – Remaining pickup scenes for Blade Runner are completed.
• July 11 – After the film goes ten percent over-budget, Tandem Productions take over the film to be completed.
• July 13 – Post-production for Blade Runner begins.
• July 21 – Despite being removed from the film, Scott is brought back by this time to assist with special effects.
• September – Mead completes his work on the film.
• Mid-September – Scott and editor Terry Rawlings complete a first assembly, director's first cut, and director's fine cut of the film.
• September 18 – Deeley sends a letter to Tandem's Charles Weber, requesting five additional postproduction shots.
• September 24 – Haber sends a letter to Weber, requesting three more shots.
• Late September – Scott and Rawlings complete a more satisfactory cut of the film.
• September 29 – Tandem vetoes most of the postproduction shot requests.
• October – Insert photography for Blade Runner commences.
• November 5 – The first voice-over recording session is held.
• December 19 – The special effects shoot for Blade Runner wraps.
• Late December – Vangelis signs on as the film's composer.

1982

• Early January –
  • The unicorn dream is filmed at Black Park in England.
  • Peoples is asked to rewrite the voice-overs.
• January – Insert photography is completed.
• January 12 –
  • The first trailer for Blade Runner is released.
  • The second voice-over recording session is held.
• January 21 – A cut of the film is shown a second time to Tandem Productions' Bud Yorkin and Jerry Perenchio.
• Late February – The film is screened for a group of industry workers in Los Angeles, California. Another closed screening takes place in Van Nuys, California.
• March –
  • Landscapes for the "happy ending" are filmed in Moab, Utah, directed by Haber.
  • Rawlings leaves post-production due to scheduling conflicts.
• March 5 – A sneak preview of the film is held in Denver, Colorado.
• March 6 – Another sneak preview is held in Dallas, Texas.
• Late March –
  • Shots involving Ford and Sean Young in the "happy ending" are filmed.
  • Deeley unsuccessfully attempts to persuade Tandem to allow the film to be released without the voice-overs.
• April – Vangelis completes the film's score.
• May 8 – A "sneak preview" version of Blade Runner is shown in San Diego.
• May 12 – Blade Runner: A Story of the Future is published.
• Mid-May – A screening of Blade Runner is held for the film's cast and crew.
• June 7 – The second trailer for Blade Runner is released.
• June 25 – Blade Runner is released to 1,290 theaters.
• September – A Marvel Comics Super Special: Blade Runner is published.
• Blade Runner: Orchestral Adaptation of Music Composed for the Motion Picture by Vangelis is released.
• Blade Runner premieres on premium cable television networks.
• December 1 – The Illustrated Blade Runner is published.

1983

• Blade Runner is released on home video and laserdisc by Embassy Home Entertainment.

1985

• Blade Runner is released on Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC.

1986

• February 8 – Blade Runner makes its network television debut on CBS.

1987

• Embassy re-releases the film on laserdisc.
• Nelson Entertainment releases the film on home video with surround sound.

1989

• September – Stereo film preservationist Michael Arick discovers the workprint version of Blade Runner in Warner Bros.' TODD-AO film vaults.
• December – Arick obtains the workprint and places it in an off-inventory vault.

1990s

1990

• Los Angeles Fairfax Theater manager Rob Bartha requests the workprint from Arick to screen in a 70mm "spring festival."
• May 6 – The workprint is screened at Fairfax Theater.
• June 27 – The workprint is screened for Ridley Scott.

1991

• April – The workprint is screened at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
• September 27 – The workprint premieres at the NuArt theater in California.
• Early October – Scott, alongside Arick and producer Mimi Polk, meet with Warner Bros. executives Barry Reardon and Peter Gardiner to discuss Scott's concerns with the workprint being touted as a "director's cut," despite being an incomplete version of the film. He proposes the production of an actual director's cut, to which Reardon agrees.
• October 18 – The workprint opens at the Castro theater.
• November–December – Arick outlines Scott's wishes for the Director's Cut of Blade Runner.

1992

• January – Arick submits Scott's requests to Warner Bros.
• New Line Home Video releases the film on home video.
• August – Arick and Scott learn that Warner Bros. planned on releasing the Director's Cut without Scott's wish of including the unicorn dream, due to the original negatives being lost. Due to this, Scott threatens to publicly disown the version if it is released in such a state.
• August 8 – All prior versions of the film are withdrawn from circulation to drive focus to the impending Director's Cut.
• September 4 – Arick submits the completed Director's Cut to Warner Bros. However, many of Scott's suggestions are not incorporated because of time constraints, though his primary stipulation, the unicorn dream, is included through the use of an outtake.
• September 11 – The Director's Cut is released in the United States to 58 theaters.

1993

• January 22 – The Director's Cut is released on tape in Japan, shortly followed by a laserdisc release.
• May 19 – Warner Home Video releases the Director's Cut on tape in the United States.
• Warner Home Video releases the Director's Cut on laserdisc in the United States.

1994

• June – The first official soundtrack for Blade Runner is released.
• The Director's Cut wins a Saturn Award for Best Genre Video Release

1995

• October 1 – Blade Runner 2: The Edge of Human is published.

1996

• May 1 – Future Noir: The Making of Blade Runner is published.
• October 1 – Blade Runner 3: Replicant Night is published.

1997

• The Criterion Collection releases Blade Runner on laserdisc.
• Warner Bros. releases the Director's Cut on DVD.
• November 1 – The second draft of a script entitled Blade Runner Down, based upon Blade Runner 2: The Edge of Human, is completed by Stuart Hazeldine.
• November 14 – Blade Runner is released on Microsoft Windows.

1998

• Soldier is released; the film is defined by David Peoples as a "spin-off sidequel" to Blade Runner.

2000s

2000

• Ridley Scott announces plans to produce a new cut of Blade Runner alongside a special edition DVD, slated for a 2002 release.
• December 1 – Blade Runner 4: Eye and Talon is published.

2001

• Producer Charles de Lauzirika begins work on the special edition DVD release of Blade Runner.

2002

• A rough cut of a version of the film dubbed the Definitive Cut is completed.
• Seven months into production of the Definitive Cut and special edition DVD, the project is canceled due to complications regarding the film's distribution rights.

2005

• The legal issues regarding the film's distribution are resolved, prompting Lauzirika to resume work on the new release of Blade Runner.

2006

• May 26 – Warner Bros. acquires worldwide distribution rights to Blade Runner and announces The Final Cut.
• September – Warner Bros. releases a remastered version of the 1997 Director's Cut DVD.
• October – By this time, Warner Bros contracts Lauzirika to produce a multi-disc DVD set, a documentary, and The Final Cut.

2007

• April 13 – The greenscreen shoot for The Final Cut is held to digitally replace stunt double Lee Pulford with Joanna Cassidy in Zhora's death scene and to fix lip-sync issues in the Abdul Ben Hassan scene by filming Harrison Ford's son Ben Ford reciting Deckard's dialogue in the scene, then digitally replace Harrison's mouth and chin with Ben's.
• July 27 – A panel promoting The Final Cut is presented at San Diego Comic-Con.
• August 3 – The Final Cut is screened for Ridley Scott, who officially approves it.
• September 1 – The Final Cut premieres at the Venice Film Festival.
• October 5 – The Final Cut is released theatrically in Los Angeles and New York.
• The second edition of Future Noir is published.

2008

• February 26 – The soundtrack entitled Blade Runner Trilogy is released.

2009

• July 15 – The first issue of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is published.
• August 5 – The second issue of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is published.
• September 2 – The third issue of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is published.
• October 7 – The fourth issue of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is published.
• October 28 – The fifth issue of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is published.
• December 2 – The sixth issue of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is published.
• December 23 – The seventh issue of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is published.

2010s

2010

• January 27 – The eighth issue of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is published.
• March 3 – The ninth issue of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is published.
• April 7 – The tenth issue of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is published.
• May 26 – The first issue of Dust to Dust is published.
• June 16 – The eleventh issue of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is published.
• June 30 –
  • The twelfth issue of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is published.
  • The second issue of Dust to Dust is published.
• July 28 – The third issue of Dust to Dust is published.
• August 4 – The thirteenth issue of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is published.
• August 25 – The fourth issue of Dust to Dust is published.
• September 1 – The fourteenth issue of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is published.
• September 22 – The fifteenth issue of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is published.
• September 29 – The fifth issue of Dust to Dust is published.
• October 13 – The sixteenth issue of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is published.
• October 27 – The sixth issue of Dust to Dust is published.
• November 18 – Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? opens at the 3LD Art & Technology Center.
• November 24 – The seventeenth issue of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is published.
• December 1 – The seventh issue of Dust to Dust is published.
• December 10 – Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? closes at the 3LD Art & Technology Center.
• December 15 – The eighteenth issue of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is published.

2011

• January 19 – The eighth issue of Dust to Dust is published.
• February 2 – The nineteenth issue of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is published.
• March 2 – The twentieth issue of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is published.
• March 3 – Alcon Entertainment confirms they are in final discussions to obtain the film rights of the Blade Runner franchise, allowing them to make additional productions.
• Ridley Scott and Hampton Fancher begin working on ideas for a sequel to Blade Runner.
• March 23 – The twenty-first issue of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is published.
• May 4 – The twenty-second issue of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is published.
• June 1 – The twenty-third issue of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is published.
• June 29 – The twenty-fourth issue of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is published.

2013

• Michael Green is hired to convert Fancher's sequel treatment into a screenplay.
• September 13 – Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? opens at the Sacred Fools Theater Company.
• October 10 – Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? closes at the Sacred Fools Theater Company.

2014

• Harrison Ford signs on to reprise the role of Rick Deckard.
• After scheduling conflicts prove that Scott is unable to direct the sequel, Denis Villeneuve is selected.

2015

• c. March – George Hull completes his first color sketch of K's spinner.
• Summer – Aaron Haye leads a team of concept artists to begin work on Blade Runner 2049. Among the team are Allison Klein, George Hull, Scott Lukowski, Victor Martinez, Emmanuel Shiu, and Steve Jung.
• Fall – Production designer Dennis Gassner signs on to 2049.
• October – Denis Villeneuve, Bill Carraro, Roger Deakins, James Ellis Deakins, Dennis Gassner, Sam Hudecki, Darryl Henley create storyboards for 2049.

2016

• January – Villeneuve reaches out to David Bowie with the intent of casting him as Niander Wallace. However, Bowie dies just days later.
• March 10 – Cynthia Yorkin, Andrew Kosove, Broderick Johnson, Bill Carraro, Dana Belcastro, John Nelson, Dennis Gassner, Roger Deakins, Paul Docherty, Don Sparks, and Denis Villeneuve visit numerous CGI houses to potentially work on Blade Runner 2049.
• April – Kosove, Johnson, and Villeneuve embark on a four-hour research trip around Las Vegas and the Mojave Desert.
• April 10 –
  • Yorkin, Kosove, Johnson, Villeneuve, Deakins, and Belcastro scout locations in Budapest.
  • Production meetings concerning budget, sets, shooting schedule, casting, and writing are held.
• May 26 – Syd Mead completes concept art for the exterior Las Vegas scenes.
• June 24 – Villeneuve, Yorkin, Kosove, and Johnson consider casting suggestions by Francine Maisler.
• July 1 – Pre-shooting commences with the forest environment seen in Ana Stelline's lab.
• July 10 – Pre-production meetings continue.
• July 11 – Principal photography for Blade Runner 2049 begins in Budapest.
• July 14 – An alternate, 8-minute version of the Baseline test, written by Ryan Gosling, is recited by Gosling.
• July 20–22 –
  • The scene of Luv taking Rachael's remains and murdering Coco is filmed.
  • A scene of K showering after retiring Sapper Morton is filmed.
  • A scene of K and Joi at K's apartment is filmed.
• July 25 – Yorkin views dailies of the above scenes.
• July 27
  • Yorkin discusses Gaff's scene.
  • The threesome between K, Joi, and Mariette is filmed.
• July 28 –
  • Yorkin visits the water tank built for the Sepulveda Sea Wall scene.
  • Yorkin suggests the title, Blade Runner: Time to Live.
• August 1 – The morning after the threesome is filmed.
• August 2 –
  • The scene of Luv breaking into K's apartment is filmed.
  • The scene of Joi begging to be deleted from K's console is filmed.
• August 3 – The scene with Doc Badger is filmed.
• August 5 – Warner Bros. head of marketing, Blair Rich, tours the film's set.
• August 9 – Producers Frank Giustra, Tim Gamble, and friends visit the set.
• August 24 – Kosove tells Yorkin they are considering either Blade Runner 2051 or Blade Runner 2049 for the film's title.
• August 30 – The scene on K's rooftop is filmed.
• August 31 – The scene between K and Dr. Ana Stelline is filmed.
• September 1 – Ana Stelline's manufactured birthday cake memory is filmed.
• September 12 –
  • The scene in Niander Wallace's office is filmed.
  • Harrison Ford performs his hair, makeup, and costume tests.
  • The Nexus-9 birth is filmed.
• September 13 – Wallace with the newborn replicant is filmed.
• September 14 – Ridley Scott arrives on the set.
• September 15 – Nelson presents some of the film's visual effects to Scott.
• September 16 – The transport scene with Deckard and Luv is filmed.
• September 19 – Filming begins on the scene with Deckard, Wallace, and the Rachael clone.
• September 20 – The Rachael clone scene continues to film.
• September 21 – Jared Leto completes his scenes.
• September 22 –
  • The scene with K and Deckard at the penthouse bar is filmed.
  • Ana Stelline's birthdate is determined.
• September 28 – Scenes in the Las Vegas casino begin filming.
• October 3 – Filming on the Las Vegas set is completed.
• October 4 – The scene of Deckard meeting Stelline is filmed.
• October 6 – Preparations for the Sepulveda Sea Wall scene are completed.
• October 11 – The fight scene between K and Luv begins filming.
• October 12 – Filming is coontinued on the fight scene.
• October 14 – The crashed transport is filmed.
• October 15 – The scene of K and Deckard at the crashed transport is filmed.
• October 18 – K landing his spinner at Sapper's farm begins filming.
• October 19 – K's landing at Sapper's continues filming.
• October 20 – K inside his spinner outside Sapper's is filmed.
• October 21 – The fight scene between K and Luv is completed.
• October 24 –
  • Carla Juri completes her scenes.
  • Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford rehearse their fight scene.
• October 25 – K and Deckard's fight begins filming.
• October 26 – The K and Deckard fight is completed.
• November 1 – Ryan Gosling and Dave Bautista rehearse their fight scene.
• November 2 – K and Sapper's fight scene is filmed.
• November 3 – The explosion of K's spinner is filmed.
• November 4 – Deckard's capture by Luv is filmed.
• November 7 – Luv destroying Joi's emanator is filmed.
• November 8 – Harrison Ford completes his scenes.
• November 10 – Filming begins of the scavengers attacking K.
• November 11 – Filming of the scavenger ambush continues.
• Late November – Principal photography for Blade Runner 2049 ends.

2017

• July – The Road to 2049 timeline is published.
• August 31 – 2036: Nexus Dawn is released online.
• September 17 – 2048: Nowhere To Run is released online.
• September 29 – Blade Runner Black Out 2022 is released online.
• October 3 – Blade Runner 2049 premieres at the Dolby Theatre.
• October 6 – Blade Runner 2049 is released in the United States.
• October 10 – The Art and Soul of Blade Runner 2049 is published.
• October 26 – Blade Runner 2049: Memory Lab is released.

2018

• May 4 – Blade Runner: Revelations is released on Google Daydream.

2019

• July 17 – The first issue of Blade Runner 2019 is published.
• August 21 – The second issue of Blade Runner 2019 is published.
• September 18 – The third issue of Blade Runner 2019 is published.
• October 9 – The fourth issue of Blade Runner 2019 is published.
• November 19 – Volume 1 of Blade Runner 2019 is published as a trade paperback.
• December 17 – Blade Runner is released on GOG.com.
• December 18 – The fifth issue of Blade Runner 2019 is published.

2020s

2020

• February 19 – The sixth issue of Blade Runner 2019 is published.
• March 25 – The seventh issue of Blade Runner 2019 is published.
• June 24 – Blade Runner 2049: Nexus Protocol is released.
• August 5 – The eighth issue of Blade Runner 2019 is published.
• August 11 – Blade Runner 2049: Interlinked - The Art is published.
• August 12 – The Blade Runner 2019 Free Comic Book Day Special is published.
• August 26 – The ninth issue of Blade Runner 2019 is published.
• September 15 – Volume 2 of Blade Runner 2019 is published as a trade paperback.
• September 23 – The tenth issue of Blade Runner 2019 is published.
• October 21 – The eleventh issue of Blade Runner 2019 is published.
• November 18 – The twelfth issue of Blade Runner 2019 is published.
• December 16 – The first issue of Blade Runner 2029 is published.

2021

• January 13 – The second issue of Blade Runner 2029 is published.
• March 10 –
  • The third issue of Blade Runner 2029 is published.
  • The first issue of Blade Runner Origins is published.
• March 24 – The second issue of Blade Runner Origins is published.
• April 6 – Blade Runner 2049: The Storyboards is published.
• April 7 – The fourth issue of Blade Runner 2029 is published.
• April 21 – The third issue of Blade Runner Origins is published.
• May 19 – The fourth issue of Blade Runner Origins is published.
• June 30 – The fifth issue of Blade Runner 2029 is published.
• August 4 – The sixth issue of Blade Runner 2029 is published.
• August 14 – The Blade Runner 2029/Blade Runner Origins Free Comic Book Day Special is published.
• August 18 – The fifth issue of Blade Runner Origins is published.
• August 24 – The seventh issue of Blade Runner 2029 is published.
• September 15 – The sixth issue of Blade Runner Origins is published.
• September 29 – The eighth issue of Blade Runner 2029 is published.
• October 13 – The seventh issue of Blade Runner Origins is published.
• October 23 – The official music video of "By My Side" by A7S, from Blade Runner: Black Lotus (Original Television Soundtrack), is released.
• November 3 – The ninth issue of Blade Runner 2029 is published.
• November 14 –
  • The Blade Runner: Black Lotus episode "City of Angels" airs.
  • The Blade Runner: Black Lotus episode "All We Are Not" airs.
• November 17 – The eighth issue of Blade Runner Origins is published.
• November 21 – The Blade Runner: Black Lotus episode "The Human Condition" airs.
• November 28 – The Blade Runner: Black Lotus episode "The Doll Hunt" airs.
• December 1 – The tenth issue of Blade Runner 2029 is published.
• December 5 – The Blade Runner: Black Lotus episode "Pressure" airs.
• December 12 – The Blade Runner: Black Lotus episode "The Persistence of Memory" airs.
• December 19 – The Blade Runner: Black Lotus episode "Reality" airs.

2022

• January 2 – The Blade Runner: Black Lotus episode "The Davis Report" airs.
• January 5 – The eleventh issue of Blade Runner 2029 is published.
• January 9 – The Blade Runner: Black Lotus episode "Free Will" airs.
• January 16 – The Blade Runner: Black Lotus episode "Clair de Lune" airs.
• January 23 – The Blade Runner: Black Lotus episode "All the Best Memories" airs.