[Note: This article contains minor spoilers about Blade Runner 2049]

With Blade Runner 2049 now in theaters everywhere, I recently got the chance to talk to Jared Leto about his work in the film. The Oscar-winning actor plays Niander Wallance, an entrepreneur who picked up where Tyrell left off, creating new and improved replicants who obey commands given to them by humans. These new replicants qualm fears of another uprising, and Wallace has quickly become a very powerful man in the world of Blade Runner 2049.

During the course of our conversation, Leto talked about his preferred cut of Blade Runner, how big of a fan he was of the original film, the experience of working with Harrison Ford, and whether he thinks Deckard is a replicant or not. Leto also talked about what it was like to work with director Denis Villeneuve and teased the possibility of leading a new Tron film. And with Suicide Squad 2 recently landing Gavin O'Connor to direct, Leto offered his thoughts on the franchise's new director.

Read the full interview below.

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Image via Alcon Entertainment / Warner Bros.

Collider: Let me start by saying congratulations, I absolutely love the movie, it's fantastic.

JARED LETO: Thank you so much. I appreciate that.

So I heard you're a big fan of the original so I'm going to start with, which version of the original do you prefer?

LETO: Well I haven't seen the version with the voiceover in a long time, but that's the one that I watched as a kid mostly. I watched it 100 times. I've seen every version but I do want to go back and watch the one with the voiceover. I don't know if you can get it so easy. I have to find out where to get it 'cause, I guess I just like to hear what's going on inside Deckard's head. But that was when I was very young. I may hear it now and like the director's cut best probably.

It's interesting but you're right. Even Denis says that he loves that version because that's the one he grew up with.

LETO: Yeah and there's something about hearing Deckard's voice that brought me close to the film. You're hearing his thoughts and Harrison's got that unmistakable voice, the voice of a legend.

Totally. So when you were growing up and even now, when you watched the original Blade Runner, do you consider Harrison a replicant or do you like the not knowing?

LETO: Well there's this scene where I look into his mind, right? I don't know if it's in the movie anymore. But Denis told me, I said, "Denis, what do I see?" And it's like a long pause, he walked away a few paces and he comes back and he says, "This is your decision to make. You decide whether he is a replicant or not," so in some way, I'm the one that has the secret now.

Well you see I gotta be honest, when I watched the film and obviously we're getting into spoilers but whatever, I took away that is he fucking with Deckard basically saying, "Are you a replicant? Was this all predetermined? Was this what Tyrell wanted or is he just sort of trying to get in his head?”

LETO: Yeah, I mean you could take it even as a step further and maybe there was no first Blade Runner. Maybe those are implanted memories.

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Image via Alcon Entertainment / Warner Bros.

Absolutely.

LETO: You know what I mean, you can just go down a rabbit hole and that's what I love about this movie, is that you can break rules, you can make rules. You can take this thing anywhere it wants to go. And for me Blade Runner is Star Wars. It's a universe as expansive as any other universe I could imagine.

Yeah, I gotta be honest, when Denis did with the sequel is he really opened the world up, but it's still a Blade Runner movie. It's just fantastic.

LETO: Yes, exactly.

So I want to ask you, I think Roger Deakins is a god, like most people. I want to know what it was like for you working with the wizard of cinematography and what you took away from the collaboration?

LETO: Well he helps to build a world that we all wrapped ourselves, that we all fell into, that we all were immersed in. He's a master craftsman. He is an artist. He paints with light, with darkness and he creates a world that's so rich that it makes you better at what you do. And it's a rare thing to have this group of talent, a genius like Denis, a master like Roger and then a cast like Ryan and Harrison and everyone else. It's absolutely phenomenal.

When Denis approached you about the project, was it something that you said, "I need to read the script first before I commit?" Or was it Denis being involved and Roger, were you like, "I'm gonna do this."

LETO: Look, I would have been an extra, I would do anything to have worked with these people and on a film that was such a special part of my life growing up. A film that really influenced and inspired me, I'd do anything. But when I read the part, I couldn't believe it. I fell in love with the opportunity and Niander Wallace was just one of the most fascinating characters I'd ever seen on the page.

After Tyrell, it's interesting to have another power player like that who wants what he wants.

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Image via Alcon Entertainment / Warner Bros.

LETO: Exactly, he's very focused, he's very ambitious, he very determined. Not only does he save the world from starvation but he also he does what needs to be done in order to take the next step to have total confidence in this.

If you don't mind, I'm always curious about memorable moments from filming. I know you weren't on set for the whole shoot, but is there a day or two that you will always remember from making it?

LETO: Yeah, there were moments that I had with Harrison on the set that I'll carry with me the rest of my life. Very emotional, powerful moments; very transcendent moments. And it was humbling to be a part of and something I'll never forget. Harrison gave me a wonderful gift in the faith that he had in me. He's not the kind, when you're seeing pages and pages of dialogue, you're sitting across from one of the biggest legends in the history of film, and to feel his confidence and his faith in me was a beautiful thing. And the thing for Denis as well.

And Harrison is also so great in the sequel. He really showed up. It's really good.

LETO: He really did, I mean he is just—I don't have enough to say about him, he's an absolute legend and he's an inspiration to be around. And he's a force of nature.

Absolutely. One of my favorite films when I was growing up is Tron and I'm curious if you had the same reaction to that film when you were younger, and because there's rumors that you might be in a future Tron movie and I'm just curious if that's accurate.

LETO: Totally. It was a huge movie for me as well and I do think there's so much potential in that world, there so much left to be said. I'm absolutely game to try to help in any way that I can bring that to life.

Is that something that's in active development for you?

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Image via Alcon Entertainment / Warner Bros.

LETO: It's something that we're in discussions about and very much looking forward to bringing to reality. It's very early days though.

No I completely get it but I really hope that's something that comes together for you because I would love to see more in the world of Tron.

LETO: Yeah, me too. I'm right there and right next to you. It's one of my favorites.

Of course I have to ask you, Gavin O'Connor who I'm also a fan of is taking over this Suicide Squad. Do you know if you're doing Suicide Squad 2, or like a Harley/Joker movie next year? Is that definitely coming up?

LETO: A lot of moving parts, we'll see what happens. I think Gavin is incredibly talented, he seems to be the perfect director for Suicide Squad 2. I think he's a really gifted filmmaker and I really love his work.

Going back to Blade Runner, what is it like working with Denis because he's so ridiculously talented, did you take away anything from collaborating from him?

LETO: Let me tell you what it's like working with Denis. It's like working with Picasso, he's a genius. The guy's incredible. And on top of that, do you know what the greatest part is? He's a really great person. He's a sweetheart. He's supportive. He's kind. He's caring. He's wonderful. That's the best part. He happens to be a genius. Hey, isn't that nice? You don't have to be a driving fucking asshole in order to be great, what a revelation.

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Image via Warner Bros.