2036: Nexus Dawn is a 2017 American short film acting as a prequel to the feature film Blade Runner 2049. It is one of three such prequels, alongside Blade Runner Black Out 2022 and 2048: Nowhere to Run. The short was released on August 30, 2017, approximately five weeks before the release of the feature film, and features Jared Leto as Blade Runner 2049 character Niander Wallace, alongside Benedict Wong. The film was written by Hampton Fancher and Michael Green, who also wrote the feature film, and directed by Luke Scott, whose father Ridley Scott directed the original Blade Runner and is executive producer on the sequel Blade Runner 2049.