Skip to main content

Calling All Replicants: A ‘Blade Runner’ Bar Just Popped Up in Melbourne, Australia

The original 1982 Blade Runner proved to be a remarkable turning point for sci-fi cinema. Thirty-five years after its debut — and a full 50 years after Philip K. Dick released the source novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? — fans continue to dissect and scrutinize every scene, character, and line of dialogue. Needless to say, the film’s legions of followers have spawned all manner of fan fiction, Comic-Con costumes, and exhaustive fan forums. Now, a week before the highly anticipated debut of Blade Runner 2049, a Blade Runner bar has popped up.

It’s difficult to imagine how a three-decades-old sci-film that depicts a bleak, dystopian future full of warring humans and androids might inspire a watering hole. Nevertheless, we’re intrigued by Melbourne’s Cinema Nova theater’s announcement of Bar 2049, a one-off conversion of its Nova Bar & Kitchen into a fully immersive Blade Runner-themed pop-up bar. The art house has screened the original film many times over the years. Street artist Chris Hancock has created exclusive wall murals for the space, and filmmaker Ben Helweg crafted specific Blade Runner-inspired video installations. Large LCD screens, neon lighting, lasers, silver unicorns, and creepy mannequins round out the atmosphere. The entire experience will be soundtracked with audio that blends Vangelis’ original film score with synth pop.

Recommended Videos

Every aspect of the Nova kitchen is pulling visual and artistic inspiration from the original film and its forthcoming sequel. The “Tastes from the Future” dinner and cocktail menu will include drinks like The Offworld and Nexus 9. No word yet on how many concoctions will make use of Rick Deckard’s (Harrison Ford) drink of choice (whiskey ).

Themed bars, especially of the pop-up variety, appear to be the modern expression of ultimate fandom. We’ve previously covered LA’s Tim Burton-inspired Beetle House and New York’s permanent Oscar Wilde . The mose recent, a Stranger Things-inspired bar called The Upside Down, also proved to be wildly popular (that is, until Netflix put the kibosh on the whole unlicensed spin-off). With this last bit of news in mind, Blade Runner fans may want to get to Bar 2049 soon before the fine folks at Columbia Pictures shut this one down too.

Bar 2049 opened Thursday, September 28, and will run through the end of October.

Mike Richard
Mike Richard has traveled the world since 2008. He's kayaked in Antarctica, tracked endangered African wild dogs in South…
Myths busted: Why rinsing your beer glass matters more than you think
Beer glass rinsing 101
beer

Myths run riot in the land of drinks and we're on a mission to dispel them. Just ask the chill-able red wine or age-worthy beer. There are rules in beer, cocktail, and wine culture, sure, but there are also misconceptions and unknowns very much worth figuring out.

You know the sayings: Rum is only for tiki drinks, mezcal is just a smoky version of tequila, or you can't make a good non-alcoholic beer. We know these things to be untrue as we've tasted the evidence.

Read more
What is Gibraltar coffee? The trendy espresso drink you need to try
Where and how this tiny espresso drink began
gibraltar coffee

Found only at select coffee shops is the Gibraltar coffee -- a coffee menu item that will leave you saying, "What is that?" based on its name alone. This specialty coffee originated in San Francisco at Blue Bottle Coffee but has since spread to small coffee shops worldwide. I'd describe this coffee as similar to a Cortado, yet these two drinks have unique differences.

When I first saw a Gibraltar coffee at a coffee shop, I knew I needed to learn more about what this coffee was all about. I chatted with Gibraltar coffee expert Vadym Granovskiy, an expert in coffee Artistry, expertise and mentorship, and TEDx Kyiv Speaker, to learn everything about the Gibraltar coffee -- from how it's made to how it was invented. Granovskiy is especially inspired by the story behind the accidental invention of Gibraltar coffee, drawing inspiration as a coffee lover himself. In his free time, he loves to experiment with new coffee and espresso beverages.

Read more
World Whiskey Society is launching a bourbon that’s finished in a rare, Japanese cask
World Whiskey Society's newest bourbon was dubbed "Samurai Edition"
Whiskey in a glass

Fans of exceptional, unique whiskey know all about the World Whiskey Society's prowess. Founded in 2020, this brand strives to bring rare, ultra-premium expressions to whiskey drinkers' home bars and liquor cabinets. Its newest whiskey combines America's "native spirit" with the aging techniques popularized in Japan.
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished In Japanese Mizunara Shochu Barrels

To say this whiskey is unique is an understatement. This 108-proof Kentucky straight bourbon dubbed the "Samurai Edition" begins with a mash bill of 75% corn, 13% rye, and 12% malted barley. Originating at the renowned Bardstown Bourbon Company, it's first matured in charred white American oak barrels before being finished in rare Japanese Mizunara oak casks previously used to age Shochu.

Read more