Prior to The Force Awakens, Harrison Ford was very vocal about his disinterest in reprising his role in Star Wars. He claimed that it just did not interest him as an actor anymore but he would do it out of respect for George Lucas and the franchise that made him a household name.
Pure speculation below:
The Force Awakens & Blade Runner 2049 spoilers
I'd wager that he only agreed to do The Force Awakens if they killed Han Solo. If that is true, one might think he did Blade Runner 2049 because he found it interesting. They didn't kill off Deckard after all.
Harrison Ford is 75 years old and mega rich. I doubt more money was his primary impetus.
Since when did being rich stop people from striving for more money? In fact, having more money than you need seems to be a more powerful motivation for accumulating even more money than not having enough, paradoxically.
marurun wrote:Since when did being rich stop people from striving for more money? In fact, having more money than you need seems to be a more powerful motivation for accumulating even more money than not having enough, paradoxically.
The only quotes I can find from Ford on why he came back to play Deckard, imply he did it from an artistic standpoint:
I think Final Cut is the version I've seen. I'll check when I get home, I've got it on DVD. If I remember right, I bought it to get a frame of reference before I started writing about Snatcher. Yes, I played that before I watched Blade Runner.
EDIT: Geez, now I don't even know. I've got the 4-disc edition, as per Amazon order history.
According to the description, if you watched disc one, you watched the Final Cut.
Disc One RIDLEY SCOTT'S ALL-NEW "FINAL CUT" VERSION OF THE FILM Restored and remastered with added & extended scenes, added lines, new and cleaner special effects and all new 5.1 Dolby Digital Audio. Also includes:
Commentary by Ridley Scott Commentary by executive producer/co-screenwriter Hampton Fancher and co-screenwriter David Peoples; producer Michael Deely and production executive Katherine Haber Commentary by visual futurist Syd Mead; production designer Lawrence G. Paull, art director David L. Snyder and special photographic effects supervisors Douglas Trumbull, Richard Yuricich and David Dryer
Disc Two DOCUMENTARY DANGEROUS DAYS: MAKING BLADE RUNNER A feature-length authoritative documentary revealing all the elements that shaped this hugely influential cinema landmark. Cast, crew, critics and colleagues give a behind-the-scenes, in-depth look at the film -- from its literary roots and inception through casting, production, visuals and special effects to its controversial legacy and place in Hollywood history.
Disc Three 1982 THEATRICAL VERSION This is the version that introduced U.S. movie-going audiences to a revolutionary film with a new and excitingly provocative vision of the near-future. It contains Deckard/Harrison Ford's character narration and has Deckard and Rachel's (Sean Young) "happy ending" escape scene.
1982 INTERNATIONAL VERSION Also used on U.S. home video, laserdisc and cable releases up to 1992. This version is not rated, and contains some extended action scenes in contrast to the Theatrical Version.
1992 DIRECTOR'S CUT The Director's Cut omits Deckard's voiceover narration and removes the "happy ending" finale. It adds the famously-controversial "unicorn" sequence, a vision that Deckard has which suggests that he, too, may be a replicant.
Disc Four BONUS DISC - "Enhancement Archive": 90 minutes of deleted footage and rare or never-before-seen items in featurettes and galleries that cover the film's amazing history, production teams, special effects, impact on society, promotional trailers, TV spots, and much more.