Oscar-nominated actor Barkhad Abdi (“Captain Phillips”) has been added to the cast of Denis Villeneuve‘s “Blade Runner” sequel, producers announced Tuesday.
The Somali-born actor joins a cast that already includes Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, Robin Wright, Ana de Armas, Sylvia Hoeks, Carla Juri and Dave Bautista.
Principal photography is scheduled to begin next month. The Alcon Entertainment production will be released by Warner Bros. in North America, and Sony Pictures Releasing International will distribute overseas in all media.
The sequel is set several decades after the 1982 original, with Harrison Ford reprising his role as Rick Deckard. The new film is written by Hampton Fancher and Michael Green, and follows the initial story by Fancher and David Peoples based on Philip K. Dick‘s novel “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep.”
Ridley Scott, who directed the original 1982 movie “Blade Runner,” will executive produce along with Frank Giustra and Tim Gamble, CEOs of Thunderbird Films, as well as Bill Carraro.
Abdi earned an Oscar nomination for his feature debut as a Somali pirate in Paul Greengrass‘ “Captain Phillips.” His credits include “The Brothers Grimsby,” “Extortion” and last spring’s thriller “Eye in the Sky” opposite Helen Mirren and Aaron Paul.
Abdi is repped by SMS Talent.