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Image source, Alamy
The TV series is based on the iconic series of films, which began with 1982's Blade Runner starring Harrison Ford
By Robbie Meredith
BBC News NI education correspondent
The major TV series Blade Runner 2099 is now set to be filmed outside Northern Ireland, BBC News NI understands.
The series, based on the iconic films, was due to be shot at Belfast Harbour Studios.
But BBC News NI understands the series will now be shot elsewhere.
It is not clear how many Northern Irish crew and staff will be affected by the move. NI Screen has been contacted by BBC News NI for comment.
The chief executive of NI Screen, Richard Williams, had announced in 2022 that the series would be filmed on location in Belfast.
Blade Runner 2099 had been commissioned by the streaming giant Amazon with Ridley Scott, who directed the original 1982 Blade Runner film, as executive producer.
Blade Runner and its sequel, Blade Runner 2049, were both critically acclaimed and hugely influential films.
Blade Runner told the story of Rick Deckard, a detective whose job was to "retire" human-like robots called replicants.
Image source, Reuters
Image caption,The 2017 sequel, Blade Runner 2049, co-starred Harrison Ford and Ryan Gosling
Deckard was played by Harrison Ford, who reprised the character in the 2017 sequel, which starred Ryan Gosling as well as Jared Leto and Robin Wright.
Blade Runner 2099 was expected to be a 10-part TV series following on from the events of the films.
Some preparatory work for the series had taken place, but plans to begin filming at Belfast Harbour Studios in 2023 had been delayed.
NI Screen had awarded Blade Runner 2099 funding of £4.1m through its screen fund awards programme in 2022-23, but it is understood any money that has been paid by NI Screen will be returned.
Meanwhile construction is continuing on new film studios at the Belfast Harbour site as well as Studio Ulster, a new cutting-edge virtual production studio.
The studio, a partnership between Belfast Harbour, Ulster University and NI Screen, is expected to open in 2024.
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