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Ryan Gosling will star in Blade Runner 2.

The Canadian actor confirmed the news in while promoting his new movie, The Big Short.

"It's exciting," he said, before adding "there's a chip in me that will explode if I say anything else."

He will feature alongside Harrison Ford, who played police officer Rick Deckard in the original 1982 cult movie.

Directed by Sir Ridley Scott, Blade Runner saw Deckard hunting down genetically engineered lifelike robots, known as replicants, in a futuristic Los Angeles, set in 2019.

The latest instalment - reportedly based on an idea from Scott, who will also produce the new film - has been written by Hampton Fancher, who co-wrote the original screenplay. He will be joined fellow screenwriter Michael Green.

The story takes place several decades after the conclusion of the first Blade Runner film, which was based on Philip K Dick's novel Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?

The film is scheduled to start shooting in the summer of 2016, with a release date yet to be confirmed.

It will be directed by Denis Villeneuve (Sicario) and Roger Deakins will act as cinematographer.

"We are honoured that Harrison is joining us on this journey," said producers Andrew Kosove and Broderick Johnson in a joint statement.

"Hampton and Michael, with Sir Ridley Scott, have crafted a uniquely potent and faithful sequel to one of the most universally celebrated films of all time, and we couldn't be more thrilled with this amazing, creative team."