What 'Blade Runner 2049' stars Harrison Ford, Ryan Gosling, Robin Wright can reveal about the film

— -- There has been so much anticipation surrounding the new “Blade Runner 2049” film, partly because filmmakers have been so tight-lipped about its plot, but here’s what Harrison Ford did have to say about it:

“This is not a running, jumping and falling down movie, this is not a light comedy, this is not a bromance or a car chase movie,” Ford said.

“Blade Runner 2049” is set a futuristic, dystopian Los Angeles in the year 2049. Ford reprises his role as ex-cop Rick Deckard from the original 1982 “Blade Runner” movie for this new sequel. Gosling plays a new generation of “Blade Runner,” cleaning the streets of “replicants,” or rogue humanoid robots. Actress Robin Wright of “House of Cards” fame plays his boss.

“This is about what it means to be a human,” Ford said. “What are our opportunities, what are our responsibilities, do they really exist?”

“We’re already producing bio-engineered people,” Wright added. “There could be an army of people that could take over.”

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It has taken nearly 20 years for this sequel to happen -- the movie was stymied by rights issues.

“The first time I heard that they wanted to do a follow-up or a sequel to 'Blade Runner,' I said, ‘Well it’s a fantastic, exciting, bad idea,'" director Denis Villeneuve said jokingly.

Then he said the script won him over, as well as the fact Ford and Gosling were in.

“As massive as it is, as provocative conceptually as it is, it is still a very intimate, personal and emotional story and that is so unique to ‘Blade Runner,’” Gosling said.

Ridley Scott directed the original, but Villeneuve, whose previous work includes “Arrival” and “Sicario,” said he came on because Scott was busy with other projects.

“He’s a very busy man and Harrison Ford wanted to shoot sooner rather than later,” he said.

Scott did serve as an executive producer and adviser on “Blade Runner 2049,” but Villeneuve said he gave him “total freedom.”

Early reviews for the new movie are stellar. When the original “Blade Runner” was released in 1982, it was not a critical smash, but instead a bit of a box office flop. But in the 35 years since its release, the original has developed a cult following.

“The original itself is such an experience, but what is also interesting it the experience you have after you’ve seen it,” Gosling said. “Part of the reason I think it became such a cult classic is you couldn’t shake it… It was painting this nightmarish vision of the future that felt possible.”

“This is not a message film,” Ford added. “[But] to me, I can clearly see that unless we revert to a respect for science and a love of nature and our progeny, what comes behind us … the planet is under dire stress.”

The actors are very careful to say that they aren’t releasing any spoilers about the film, but Ford admitted he accidentally punched Gosling in the face while shooting a scene on set.

“I threw 80 punches, I hit him one time, that’s a pretty good average,” Ford said.

“I saw it written in the margins of his script: ‘Make contact,’” Gosling joked.

The film, which is nearly three hours long, is packed with action -- and enigma.

“There are a lot of questions left unanswered and it’s kind of like life,” Ford said.