UPDATE: We have received word from Alcon Entertainment that Scott Z. Burns that the news regarding Scott Z. Burns' attachment to Ridley Scott's new Blade Runner film is "inaccurate."

Just a few weeks back the movie world was rocked when it was reported that Ridley Scott would be returning to the world of Blade Runner for a new film. While the project likely won't come before 2014, there have been plenty of discussions between the studio and the filmmaker about the direction of the movie. When speaking to a reporter, Alcon Entertainment producer Andrew Kosove said that the next step in the development would be to find a writer for the film. Now new rumors have surfaced via Twitch suggesting that decision may be made fairly soon.

According to the site's sources, Scott Z. Burns is the number one choice of both Scott and the studio to write the new Blade Runner. Timing wise the move makes sense as Burns’ most recent work, Steven Soderbergh’s Contagion, was both applauded by critics and made a solid $22 million in its first week at the box office. The screenwriter’s other work includes the 2009 comedy The Informant! and the 2007 action blockbuster The Bourne Ultimatum. Burns recently completed work on two upcoming projects – The Man From U.N.C.L.E. and 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea – that are currently awaiting the start of production.

Should the rumor be true, Scott Z. Burns is an interesting choice. While he doesn’t have much experience in the sci-fi genre, he’s a smart writer who has shown a knack for thrills and tension. Any writer that is selected for this project is almost undoubtedly going to be torn to shreds by critics and cynics, but at least Burns has a solid resume that can be used in his defense.