Umair Gaines
'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?' is a 1968 dystopian science fiction novel by American writer Philip K. Dick. It has been adapted into several other formats, most famously as the 1982 film 'Blade Runner', directed by Ridley Scott, and its 2017 sequel, 'Blade Runner 2049'. The novel has also been adapted for the stage, as a comic book series, and as a radio play.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Adaptation Type | Cinematic, Stage, Radio, Graphic Novel |
| Adaptation Name | Blade Runner, Blade Runner 2049, BBC Radio 4's Dangerous Visions dystopia series, BOOM! Studios' comic book series, etc. |
| Adaptation Release Date | 1982, 2017, 2014, 2010, etc. |
| Adaptation Medium | Film, Radio, Comics/Graphic Novel |
| Adaptation Setting | Post-apocalyptic San Francisco |
| Adaptation Plot | Bounty hunter Rick Deckard has to "retire" (kill) escaped androids |
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What You'll Learn
Cinematic adaptation: 1982 film Blade Runner
The 1982 film Blade Runner, directed by Ridley Scott, is a loose cinematic adaptation of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick. The film was released three months after Dick's death.
The novel, published in 1968, is set in a post-apocalyptic San Francisco following a global nuclear war that has devastated Earth's life. The plot centres on Rick Deckard, a bounty hunter tasked with "retiring" (i.e. killing) six escaped Nexus-6 model androids. A secondary plotline follows John Isidore, a man with a below-average IQ who assists the fugitive androids.
The film adaptation features several of the novel's characters, including Rick Deckard, but with some notable differences. In the film, Deckard is sent on a mission to "retire" four androids, or replicants, previously hunted by another detective. He meets Rachel, who assists him in his task, and they grow closer as he pursues the last and most powerful replicant. The film retains the novel's backstory of war and colonisation and the original creation of the androids, but it diverges in other aspects, including the ending, where voice-overs are removed.
While the novel and the film have significant differences, both explore similar themes of a dystopian, polluted, man-made world and the impact of technology on our understanding of life. The film became a cult classic, and its success led to the title "Blade Runner" being adopted for later editions of the novel. The film also spawned a sequel, Blade Runner 2049, which explores many of the novel's themes.
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Cinematic sequel: 2017 film Blade Runner 2049
The 2017 film Blade Runner 2049 is the cinematic sequel to the 1982 film Blade Runner, which was a loose adaptation of the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick. Blade Runner 2049 retains many themes from the novel, despite being a direct sequel to the original film.
The original Blade Runner film was directed by Ridley Scott and starred Harrison Ford as Rick Deckard, a bounty hunter tasked with "retiring" (i.e. killing) a group of escaped androids. The film was set in a dystopian future, where the Earth's atmosphere has been rendered highly radioactive by a global war, and most animal species are endangered or extinct. This setting is largely retained in the sequel, Blade Runner 2049, which is set 30 years after the events of the first film.
The sequel follows a new blade runner, LAPD Officer K, played by Ryan Gosling, who uncovers a long-buried secret that has the potential to plunge what's left of society into chaos. He sets out on a quest to find Rick Deckard (Ford), who has been missing for 30 years. The cast also includes Ana de Armas, Sylvia Hoeks, Robin Wright, and Dave Bautista.
Blade Runner 2049 was directed by Denis Villeneuve and received widespread critical acclaim for its visuals, story, and performances. The film was nominated for five Academy Awards and won two, for Best Visual Effects and Best Cinematography. It also won several other awards, including Best Science Fiction Film at the Saturn Awards and Best Special Visual Effects at the BAFTA Awards.
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![By Philip K. Dick - Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (2012-02-16) [Paperback]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51s+NVQ6atL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
Radio adaptation: BBC Radio 4's two-part adaptation
As part of their Dangerous Visions dystopia series in 2014, BBC Radio 4 broadcast a two-part radio adaptation of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? The novel had already been adapted for the screen in the 1982 film Blade Runner, which was followed by a sequel, Blade Runner 2049, in 2017. Both films retain many themes of the novel, albeit loosely.
The radio adaptation was not the first alternative format that the novel had been adapted to. In May 2010, BOOM! Studios began serialising an eight-issue prequel subtitled Dust To Dust, written by Chris Roberson and drawn by Robert Adler. The story takes place in the days immediately after World War Terminus. A 24-issue comic book limited series based on the novel was also published by BOOM! Studios. Illustrated by Tony Parker, the comic garnered a nomination for "Best New Series" from the 2010 Eisner Awards.
In addition to the comic book series, an original stage adaptation of the novel ran from November 18 to December 10, 2010, at the 3LD Art & Technology Center in New York, with its West Coast premiere taking place on September 13, 2013, at the Sacred Fools Theater Company in Los Angeles.
While the novel's adaptations have proven popular, the original story has also stood the test of time. Published in 1968, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is a dystopian science fiction novel by American writer Philip K. Dick. Set in a post-apocalyptic San Francisco, the novel follows Rick Deckard, a bounty hunter tasked with "retiring" (i.e. killing) six escaped Nexus-6 model androids. A secondary plotline follows John Isidore, a man of sub-par IQ who aids the fugitive androids.
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Graphic novel: 24-issue comic book limited series
The 1968 science fiction novel "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick has been adapted into a 24-issue comic book limited series by BOOM! Studios. This graphic novel adaptation is a word-for-word, panel-by-panel recreation of the original novel, with some minor changes to the dialogue.
The graphic novel is illustrated by Tony Parker and coloured by Blond, with lettering by Richard Starkings. It features essays from several notable authors, including Jonathan Lethem, Warren Ellis, and Matt Fraction. The artwork in the graphic novel has been praised for its beauty and masterful colouring, and the adaptation has been called "gripping and beautiful".
The story is set in a post-apocalyptic San Francisco, where Earth's life has been greatly damaged by a nuclear global war. It follows Rick Deckard, a bounty hunter who has to "retire" (i.e. kill) six escaped Nexus-6 model androids. A secondary plot follows John Isidore, a man of sub-par IQ who aids the fugitive androids.
The novel has had a significant influence on popular culture, with references appearing in music, literature, and television. It served as the source material for the classic sci-fi film "Blade Runner" and its sequel, "Blade Runner 2049".
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Stage adaptation: Edward Einhorn's play
Playwright Edward Einhorn wrote an original, authorised stage adaptation of Philip K. Dick's 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?' which ran from 18 November to 10 December 2010, at the 3LD Art & Technology Center in New York. The play made its West Coast Premiere on 13 September 2013 and played until 10 October at the Sacred Fools Theater Company in Los Angeles.
The novel, published in 1968, is set in a post-apocalyptic San Francisco, where Earth's life has been severely damaged by a nuclear global war. The story follows Rick Deckard, a bounty hunter tasked with 'retiring' (i.e. killing) six escaped Nexus-6 model androids. A secondary plotline follows John Isidore, a man with a low IQ who helps the fugitive androids.
Einhorn's play was not the first adaptation of the novel. In 1982, three months after Dick's death, the novel was loosely adapted into the cult film 'Blade Runner' by Hampton Fancher and David Peoples. The film was directed by Ridley Scott and starred Harrison Ford. While some aspects of the novel were changed, many elements and themes were retained, and the film enjoyed international success. The title 'Blade Runner' was later adopted for some editions of the novel.
The success of the 1982 film led to a sequel, 'Blade Runner 2049', released in 2017. This film also retained many themes from the novel. In addition to these cinematic adaptations, a two-part radio adaptation of the novel was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2014 as part of their Dangerous Visions dystopia series.
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Frequently asked questions
Some adaptations include the 1982 film Blade Runner, its 2017 sequel Blade Runner 2049, a BBC Radio 4 broadcast, a stage adaptation, and a graphic novel.
The film adaptation focuses on the android hunting aspect and does not include the coveting of animals, the quasi-religious undertones, and the absurdity and tragicomic tone of the novel.
It is set in a post-apocalyptic San Francisco in a futuristic 1992 (2021 in later editions) after a global war that rendered Earth's atmosphere highly radioactive, causing the extinction of most animals.
The main plot follows Rick Deckard, a bounty hunter who has to "retire" (kill) six escaped Nexus-6 model androids.
The novel has influenced generations of science fiction writers and is considered a founding document of the new wave science fiction movement and a basic model for cyberpunk. It has also influenced other genres such as sci-fi-based metal music.
