Blade Runner 2049 has been ramping up its promotional efforts lately by releasing short prequel films that delve into specific characters’ backstories. The first, which takes place in 2036, examined Jared Leto’s Niander Wallace and his new replicant creations, while the new film takes a look at Dave Bautista’s Sapper in the year 2048.
The film, titled Nowhere to Run, reveals Sapper as a gentle man struggling to make ends meet in the year before the events of the film. He’s friends with a young girl, tries his best to steer clear of trouble, and scrapes by by selling items to a trader. But it turns out that there’s more to Sapper than meets the eye. After some ruffians attack his young friend and her mother, Sapper becomes enraged and brutally confronts them, showing off superhuman strength as he kills several of them; revealing himself to be a rogue replicant. He then goes on the run, which is where we presume we’ll catch up with him in the actual film.
The clip represents another leap forward for the former professional wrestler as an actor. After his comedic turns in the Guardians of the Galaxy films and his menacing, silent role in the James Bond movie Spectre, Bautista gets to show off some serious dramatic chops in this short film before displaying the killer action skills for which he is best known. It’s pretty amazing to see how quickly he’s grown as an actor, and we’re now more excited than ever to see what he does in Blade Runner 2049. You can check out the clip below.
Blade Runner 2049 hits theaters on October 6.
