BLADE RUNNER 2049 Soundtrack Will Now Feature Zero Jóhann Jóhannsson

A few months back, we learned that Jóhann Jóhannsson was getting some help scoring Denis Villeneuve's Blade Runner 2049. His new teammates? Hans Zimmer and Benjamin Wallfisch. This was a mildly intriguing development, but it wasn't exactly earth-shaking: things like this happen from time to time, for all kinds of reasons. Whatcanyado?

Well, now there's been an update. According to the Iceland Review:

"Academy Award Nominee and Golden Globe winner Jóhann Jóhannsson is no longer attached to the film Blade Runner 2049...Jóhann's agent has confirmed to Fréttablaðiðthat the Icelandic composer is no longer involved with the film in any capacity, though he is prohibited from saying anything at this point due to his contract."

So, that's...interesting. As of this writing, no one involved has stepped up to explain Jóhannsson's removal from the film, but from the sound of the above it seems like maybe we shouldn't be holding our breath for that. 

Anyway, pour one out for what could've been. I'm sure Zimmer and Wallfisch will deliver something memorable, but it does sting a little bit to learn that we probably won't ever hear the work that Jóhannsson put into this thing.