In knowing that devotees were anxiously waiting for the arrival of Blade Runner 2049, we knew we had to immerse them further into the Blade Runner world. To us, recreating the post-apocalyptic streets of Los Angeles was the best way we knew how, and an iconic scene from the film––in this case, the central meeting place of Bibi’s Marketplace & Bar––was how we’d do it.

We needed a stage big enough to bring our vision to life. We found our platform at 2017’s San Diego Comic-Con, a convention that drew large numbers but also garnered media attention amongst the entertainment-obsessed. We saw this as the perfect opportunity to amplify pre-existing excitement around the property and excite fans of the film, as well as create newfound buzz amongst the uninitiated.

The experience was crafted in the span of five months. Onsite construction began in May, while a 12,000 square foot tent was erected five days before the event.

The Blade Runner 2049 Experience began with a virtual "spinner chase" through the skies in our VR theater, equipped with DBOX 4D chairs. Once visitors’ headsets were on, a wall lifted to reveal a real spinner and actors playing out the final scene of the VR experience. The actors––in real costumes from the film––further immersed attendees by asking questions about the crash and if they were human or replicant (bioengineered androids from the film.)

We completed this post-apocalyptic world with rain, fog, and snow, while guests were encouraged to explore the following touchpoints:

- futuristic T-shirt dispensing vending machine

- “Eye Scanner” photo opportunity, optimized for social

- a box of udon noodles

- Johnnie Walker whiskey tasting (for 21+ guests)

The experience worked to properly position Blade Runner 2049, indoctrinating potential fans to the film’s world and themes. With 8,364 in attendance, Blade Runner 2049 became San Diego Comic-Con’s largest and most immersive activation ever. Twenty-four thousand shots of Johnnie Walker and over 2,000 pounds of noodles were consumed––nearly doubling the response that we expected. On social, visitors were quick to dub the experience as “the best thing at SDCC,” with impressions for one day alone reaching to over half a million. Along with driving exponential buzz as the film headed into the final phase of its marketing campaign, the activation accumulated over 100 million earned media impressions, including glowing reviews in entertainment press like The Hollywood Reporter, Rolling Stone, and Vanity Fair, amongst others.