3. Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
While Star Wars was undeniably the largest and most culturally impactful sci-fi franchise of the late 1970s and early 1980s, it wasn’t alone in that genre. In 1982, Ridley Scott followed up the success of his 1970 horror/sci-fi hit Alien with the iconic film Blade Runner.
Starring Harrison Ford right at the same time he was known worldwide as Han Solo, Blade Runner saw a mixed critical response at release, but it went on to become one of the most highly-acclaimed and influential cult classics in sci-fi cinema history. While Blade Runner didn’t have the same cultural reach as Star Wars, it made an undeniable impact on the genre moving forward.
Much like Star Wars, Blade Runner eventually saw a sequel years after many thought such a thing would happen. Blade Runner 2049 had technically been proposed as early as the 1990s, but years of licensing issues with other problems stalled the movie’s development.
Thirty-five years after the first movie was released, Blade Runner 2049 arrived, and Harrison Ford was back with it. Despite an underwhelming box office performance, Blade Runner 2049 was critically acclaimed, won two Academy Awards, was nominated for three others. If you want to see silver fox Harrison Ford in a different sci-fi adventure, this diamond is available now on HBO Max.