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'Blade Runner' anime series coming to Adult Swim; live-action 'Cowboy Bebop' coming to Netflix

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Adult Swim has ordered an anime series inspired by Blade Runner 2049, the 2017 sequel to Ridley Scott’s 1982 sci-fi noir classic. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the series will be called Blade Runner: Black Lotus and is being made in partnership with Alcon Television Group and anime streaming service Crunchyroll. The series, which will be set in the year 2032 (falling in the timeline between the two films), will be written by 2049 screenwriter Michael Green and Mike Johnson. From THR:

“I first saw Blade Runner in 1982, at age 11. It has remained one of the defining films of my life,” said Jason DeMarco, senior vp/creative director of Adult Swim on-air. “To be able to explore more of this universe, with the incredible talent we have on board, is a dream come true.”

Animation studio Sola Digital Arts will produce the series, with Shinji Aramaki and Kenji Kamiyama (the upcoming Ghost in the Shell reboot) directing all episodes. Shinichiro Watanabe (Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo) is a creative producer.

Adult Swim will have worldwide distribution rights (excluding Asia) to the English-dubbed version of the series and air it in the U.S. as part of its Toonami anime block. Crunchyroll — which like Adult Swim is part of WarnerMedia — will handle worldwide streaming.

No air date for Blade Runner: Black Lotus has been set, so stay tuned.

In other news, classic late-’90s anime Cowboy Bebop is being turned into a live action series for Netflix. Variety reports it’s gotten a 10-episode order and that Shinichiro Watanabe, who directed the original anime, will be a consultant on the series. Details still TBA.