‘Blade Runner 2099’: A Baroque Blend of Cultures and Time, Closer to the Original Aesthetic Says Tom Burke

Tom Burke, known for his work in “Furiosa” and the BBC series “Strike,” is gearing up for a major role in the upcoming “Blade Runner 2099” series on Prime Video. This series will pick up after the events of the iconic Blade Runner films, continuing the exploration of what it means to be human in a world full of advanced technology and artificial beings.

While details about the plot remain under wraps, Burke teased some exciting aspects of the series. He revealed that Blade Runner 2099 will have a visual style much closer to the original Blade Runner film, directed by Ridley Scott, than its sequel, Blade Runner 2049. Burke describes the aesthetic as a “Baroque, eclectic mix of cultures and time periods,” which fans of the original movie will likely recognize.

This return to the classic style means the series will feature the same dark, futuristic world where questions about humanity, morality, and identity take center stage. Burke, who has become known for portraying complex characters, is excited about the series’ deep philosophical themes. He explains that the core of Blade Runner is the question of what makes someone human, and this series will continue to explore that.

“It’s a lot to do with that thing quite intrinsic to the source material in the movie,” Burke says. “which is actually what makes somebody human and what makes somebody not human. Or when does somebody cross some threshold.”

“Can we really have a full sense of humanity without being very aware of our own dual sides? We all have the capacity for great evil as well as great good. I suppose every genre does that to some extent, but I do feel that the morality, that whole kind of thing is handled so well in the ‘Blade Runner’ world, to me. It’s got subtleties and nuances to it that I don’t think necessarily all sci-fi always has.

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