Chinese moviegoers need not wait a decade for new Blade Runner

Many Chinese sci-fi fans watched the 1982 classic Blade Runner at least a decade after the film was released.

Directed by Hollywood filmmaker Ridley Scott, the film is widely seen as a game-changer in the sci-fi genre and has influenced many subsequent films. The film was not released on the Chinese mainland, and a 1992 DVD edition made by the director was an option for curious Chinese viewers.

Now, with the sequel Blade Runner 2049 set to hit mainland theaters on Friday, around three weeks after its release in the United States, local enthusiasts today don't have to wait again.