It only took them about 30 years, but the “Blade Runner” team is now officially heading back to the future.

The long-awaited “Blade Runner” sequel looks to be more an impending reality than it ever has before, and fans of the sci-fi classic should be thrilled to hear that not only is Ridley Scott back in the director’s chair but the co-screenwriter of the original film, Hampton Fancher, will be developing the script.

The filmmakers have also confirmed that this new project is indeed a sequel to the 1982 original, though the only plot points being revealed at this time is that the story will take place some years after the first film concluded.

Scott and Fancher originally conceived of “Blade Runner” as the first in a series of films incorporating the themes and characters featured in Philip K. Dick’s novel on which it was based, “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” Obviously, Part II never happened as Scott went on to direct “Legend” and Fancher went on to other writing projects such as “The Mighty Quinn” and “The Minus Man.”

“Blade Runner” takes place in Los Angeles, 2019, a dystopian metropolis (that, frankly, looked a lot more like New York) where artificially created beings, known as “replicants,” have been outlawed, with a group of specialized assassins known as “blade runners” assigned to hunt them down and “terminate with extreme prejudice.” The film, which was co-written by Fancher and David Webb Peoples, is considered in many circles to be one of the greatest sci-fi movies ever made, though it also weaves in elements of film noir, mystery and romance.

Ridley Scott is really returning to his roots lately, as his “Alien” companion piece, “Prometheus,” is set to hit theaters on June 8. Scott is currently in pre-production on “The Counselor,” so don’t expect the “Blade Runner” sequel to happen anytime too soon … but at least it’s actually happening.

Tags: blade runner, Hampton Fancher, ridley scott