Sin City director Robert Rodriguez is set to lead a reboot of the 1980’s sci-fi classic, Escape From New York. 20th Century Fox has reportedly secured Rodriguez’s services for the reboot, continuing a relationship that will also see the director’s adaptation of Alita: Battle Angel released by the studio next year.
Starring Kurt Russell as the eye-patched hero Snake Plissken, John Carpenter’s Escape From New York created an iconic dystopian world that still inspires filmmakers today. Set in 1997, the film saw Manhattan transformed into a maximum security prison housing hundreds of thousands of dangerous (and not so dangerous) criminals. When Air Force One crashes into the streets, Snake Plissken is hired to lead the rescue operation, pitting him against his fellow convicts and a powerful mob boss. Russell also returned as Plissken in 1996 for the slightly less influential sequel, Escape from L.A.
The reboot of Carpenter’s sci-fi classic was the subject of a fierce bidding war, which was eventually won by 20th Century Fox. It’s believed that the studio is eyeing the reboot as the start of a long-term franchise play with the potential for multiple movies. While that might have fans of the original rolling their eyes in disappointment, there is cause for hope. John Carpenter will executive produce the project, and he’s expected to have a great deal of creative input and influence over the production.
So, if a trip back to maximum security Manhattan is on the cards, one question remains: Who will play Snake Plissken??
