Netflix's Philip K. Dick Adaptation: Blade Runner 2099’s Perfect Rival?

As exciting as Prime Video's new Blade Runner show may seem, its perfect rival could be Netflix's upcoming Philip K. Dick adaptation.

Even though the Blade Runner franchise is original in more ways than one, Ridley Scott heavily drew from Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep when he first wrote the film. Philip K. Dick's influence on the sci-fi franchise is not surprising, given how he has shaped the very foundations of the genre.

Interestingly, though, despite his influence, there have only been a handful of direct adaptations of his works on the big and small screens. The number will fortunately go up soon with the upcoming Blade Runner 2099 series and Netflix's direct Philip K. Dick adaptation.

2 Of The Most Exciting New Sci-Fi Shows Are Based On Philip K. Dick’s Books

Many incredible sci-fi shows are lined up for 2026 and the years ahead. However, among them, two of the most exciting ones are:

• Prime Video's Blade Runner 2099
• Netflix's The Future is Ours

Like Blade Runner, The Future is Ours is also based on a Philip K. Dick book, The World Jones Made. Although The World Jones Made does not fall into the hard sci-fi cyberpunk category like Blade Runner, it echoes many common Philip K. Dick themes.

For instance, similar to Blade Runner's replicants, genetically engineered mutants are created in The World Jones Made's narrative and treated as mere properties or experimental anomalies.

Just like Roy Batty and the other replicants are haunted by their predetermined expiry date, The World Jones Made's titular character is cursed by his ability to foresee one year into the future. In both Philip K. Dick worlds, over-regulation and control lead to spiritual emptiness among the masses. As a result, the main characters in both eventually become disillusioned with the systems they serve.

Philip K. Dick's work has only received a handful of memorable TV and movie adaptations so far, including Minority Report, The Man in the High Castle, Total Recall, and A Scanner Darkly. Owing to this, it is exciting that his stories will finally get more live-action recognition through Blade Runner 2099 and Netflix's The Future is Ours.

However, considering how his adaptations are often hit or miss, Netflix will have to approach its take on The World Jones Made carefully.

Netflix's The World Jones Made Can Learn A Lot From Blade Runner

Getting Philip K. Dick's work right on screen is no easy feat because his prose often focuses on abstract philosophy rather than linear and tight plotting. Owing to this, many of his decent adaptations, like The Man in the High Castle, have received decisive receptions. Blade Runner, however, got a lot right about Philip K. Dick's vision without actually being tied down to the high expectations held by his readers.

Both Blade Runner movies benefitted a lot from honoring the philosophical depth in Philip K. Dick's sci-fi works. The World Jones Made is driven by the concept of "Relativism," which suggests that no one can claim to know the absolute truth. Since truth and morality are unstable and dependent on perspective, even the ability to foresee the future cannot truly ensure full control over reality.

Regardless of how Netflix's take on the Philip K. Dick book changes the source material, it must ensure that, like Blade Runner, it prioritizes preserving the original story’s underlying philosophical questions​​​​​​​ about relativism, the fragility of the human ego, and humanity's inability to accept uncertainty.

If Netflix manages to get its Philip K. Dick adaptation right, it could very well be a worthy rival to Prime Video's Blade Runner show.

Blade Runner 2099

Network Prime Video

Directors Jonathan van Tulleken

Writers Silka Luisa