Filmmaker Ridley Scott has specifically credited “Star Trek” for leading to the resurgence of the science fiction genre and his own follow-ups to his original sci-fi features “Alien” and “Blade Runner”.

Scott, out doing “Blade Runner 2049” promotions, tells Den of Geek he never had any intention to return to the sci-fi genre. It wasn’t until “Star Trek” ‘awakened’ the genre that he decided to return:

“You change over time. At that point I had no interest in ever doing a sequel, that’s why I never did a sequel to Alien for another 20 years, and then I thought ‘Do you know what, I’d better go back to this.’ Because I’d done two science fiction [films], Alien and Blade Runner, and I felt that that was it. That’s enough science fiction for a career. And of course, I never realized that the awakening of the science fiction universe, over many, many films, would get so large. You can’t thank Star Wars for that, you can thank, God bless them, Star Trek. You’ve got all that. It’s evolved and made another form of entertainment.”

Scott’s own “Alien Covenant” opened in May to weak reviews, while “Blade Runner 2049” opens in cinemas this Friday on a wave of stellar reviews.