Watch Blade Runner (1982), then Blade Runner 2049 (2017), set 30 years later. The anime series Blade Runner: Black Lotus (2021), set in 2032, is optional and sits between the two films.
- Titles
- 3
- Films
- 2
- Series
- 1
- Watch time
- 9 hours
- Box office
- $301 million
- Avg IMDb
- 7.5
Blade Runner movies in release order
Here is every Blade Runner title in the order it came out, 1982 to 2021: 2 films and 1 series. Optional entries are marked; you can skip them on a first watch.
| # | Title | Year | Type | Runtime | IMDb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blade Runner | 1982 | Film | 1h 58m | 8.1 |
| 2 | Blade Runner 2049 | 2017 | Film | 2h 44m | 8 |
| 3 | Blade Runner: Black Lotus optional | 2021 | Series | 4h 46m | 6.3 |
Blade Runner timeline: movies in chronological order
The same titles in story order, by when they take place, with the year or era each one is set in.
| # | Title | Set in | Released |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blade Runner | November 2019 | 1982 |
| 2 | Blade Runner: Black Lotus | 2032 | 2021 |
| 3 | Blade Runner 2049 | 2049 | 2017 |
Release or chronological: which order is best?
Release order and story order disagree on 2 titles here. In release order you start with Blade Runner (1982); in story order you start with Blade Runner, set in November 2019.
First time through, watch in release order. That is how the twists, returning characters and callbacks were built to land, and later entries assume you have seen the earlier ones. On a rewatch, try story order. It turns Blade Runner into one continuous story and makes the prequels play as setup instead of backstory.
Where to start
Start with Blade Runner and go in release order, skipping the 1 optional titles on the first pass.
The essentials are 2 titles and about 5 hours, 50% less than the full run.
The three highest rated: Blade Runner (8.1), Blade Runner 2049 (8), and Blade Runner: Black Lotus (6.3).
Every Blade Runner movie, explained
One entry per title in release order: what it is about, why it matters to the bigger story, who is in it and how it did.
No. 01 · 1982 · Film · 1h 58m
Blade Runner
In the smog-choked dystopian Los Angeles of 2019, blade runner Rick Deckard is called out of retirement to terminate a quartet of replicants who have escaped to Earth seeking their creator for a way to extend their short life spans.
Why it matters: Deckard hunts replicants in 2019 Los Angeles.
- Starring
- Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, and Sean Young
- Director
- Ridley Scott
- Box office
- $42 million on a $28 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 8.1 · Rotten Tomatoes 89%
No. 02 · 2017 · Film · 2h 44m · 3rd in story order
Blade Runner 2049
Thirty years after the events of the first film, a new blade runner, LAPD Officer K, unearths a long-buried secret that has the potential to plunge what's left of society into chaos. K's discovery leads him on a quest to find Rick Deckard, a former LAPD blade runner who has been missing for 30 years.
Why it matters: K uncovers a secret 30 years later; Deckard returns.
- Starring
- Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, and Ana de Armas
- Director
- Denis Villeneuve
- Box office
- $259 million on a $150 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 8 · Rotten Tomatoes 88%
No. 03 · 2021 · Series · 4h 46m · 2nd in story order · optional
Blade Runner: Black Lotus
Los Angeles 2032. A young woman wakes up with no memories, and possessing deadly skills. The only clues to her mystery are a locked data device and a tattoo of a black lotus. Putting together the pieces, she must hunt down the people responsible for her brutal and bloody past to find the truth of her lost identity.
Why it matters: An anime series set in 2032; optional.
- Starring
- Jessica Henwick, Will Yun Lee, and Wes Bentley
- Creator
- Shinji Aramaki and Kenji Kamiyama
- Scores
- IMDb 6.3 · Rotten Tomatoes 71%
- Episodes
- 13
Blade Runner box office and budgets
The 2 Blade Runner films with reported numbers have grossed $301 million worldwide on about $178 million in combined budgets, roughly 1.7 times what they cost. The biggest is Blade Runner 2049 at $259 million, 86% of the franchise's total on its own, followed by Blade Runner ($42 million).
The best and worst rated Blade Runner movies
Across 3 rated titles, Blade Runner averages 7.5 on IMDb. The top of the list is Blade Runner at 8.1, then Blade Runner 2049 (8) and Blade Runner: Black Lotus (6.3). At the bottom: Blade Runner: Black Lotus (6.3) and Blade Runner 2049 (8).
- Blade Runner8.1 · RT 89%
- Blade Runner 20498 · RT 88%
- Blade Runner: Black Lotus6.3 · RT 71%
Who appears in the most Blade Runner movies
Harrison Ford leads with 2 appearances as Deckard and Rick Deckard. Counted from each title's top-billed cast.
| Actor | Role | Titles | First and latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harrison Ford | Deckard / Rick Deckard | 2 | Blade Runner (1982) to Blade Runner 2049 (2017) |
Blade Runner directors and creators
4 filmmakers have directed or created Blade Runner.
- Ridley ScottBlade Runner (1982)
- Denis VilleneuveBlade Runner 2049 (2017)
- Shinji AramakiBlade Runner: Black Lotus (2021)
- Kenji KamiyamaBlade Runner: Black Lotus (2021)
How long it takes to watch every Blade Runner movie
All 3 titles add up to 9 hours: 5 hours of film and 5 hours of series, counting every episode. That is about 5 two-hour evenings, or 1 days of ten-hour binges. The essentials cut it to 5 hours. The longest film is Blade Runner 2049 at 2h 44m.
The 2 best rated films: Blade Runner and Blade Runner 2049.
Everything takes about 10 days; the essentials about 5 days.
Track what you've watched on the timeline and it counts the hours left.
Which Blade Runner movies can you skip?
1 title can go without losing the main story. They are side stories, spin-offs or entries the later films ignore. Dropping them saves 5 hours.
- Blade Runner: Black Lotus2021 · Series · 4h 46m · optionalAn anime series set in 2032; optional.
Common questions
What order should I watch the Blade Runner movies in?
Watch Blade Runner (1982), then Blade Runner 2049 (2017), set 30 years later. The anime series Blade Runner: Black Lotus (2021), set in 2032, is optional and sits between the two films.
How many Blade Runner movies and shows are there?
There are 3 titles in the Blade Runner franchise: 2 films and 1 series, released from 1982 to 2021.
How long does it take to watch all the Blade Runner movies?
About 9 hours for all 3 titles, counting every episode. The essentials only (2 titles) take about 5 hours.
What is the first Blade Runner title in chronological order?
Blade Runner, set in November 2019. In release order the first is Blade Runner (1982).
Which Blade Runner titles can I skip?
Blade Runner: Black Lotus. They are spin-offs, side stories or non-canon entries; the main story holds without them.
What is the best Blade Runner movie?
By IMDb score, Blade Runner (1982) at 8.1, followed by Blade Runner 2049 at 8.
What is the highest-grossing Blade Runner movie?
Blade Runner 2049 (2017), with $259 million worldwide. Blade Runner films have made $301 million in total.
Who has appeared in the most Blade Runner movies?
Harrison Ford, in 2 of them as Deckard.
What is the longest Blade Runner movie?
Blade Runner 2049, at 2h 44m.
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