‘Escape From New York’: Zack Snyder to Direct Reimagining of John Carpenter’s Dystopian Classic!
For nearly two decades, a remake of Escape from New York has remained one of Hollywood’s most elusive development projects.
Since first entering development in 2007, the reimagining of John Carpenter‘s Escape from New York has cycled through multiple studios, writers, and directors. At various points, filmmakers including Len Wiseman, Brett Ratner, Breck Eisner, Robert Rodriguez, Leigh Whannell, and Radio Silence were attached to different iterations before the project ultimately stalled. StudioCanal revived the property earlier this year as part of a larger push to reimagine several genre classics.
Now the long-gestating remake appears to have found its director in Zack Snyder.
Love him or hate him, Snyder has built one of the most passionate fan bases in modern filmmaking. Horror fans first took notice when he made his feature directorial debut with the acclaimed 2004 remake of Dawn of the Dead, written by James Gunn. He followed that with adaptations including 300 and Watchmen, the latter widely praised for bringing the once-considered-unfilmable graphic novel to the screen. Snyder later became the architect of DC’s cinematic universe with films including Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Zack Snyder’s Justice League.
More recently, Snyder directed Netflix’s Army of the Dead before launching the two-part Rebel Moon saga.
With Snyder now stepping behind the camera, one of Hollywood’s longest-running remake projects may finally be moving forward.
The Hollywood Reporter broke the news today that Snyder has come aboard to write and direct what they’re calling a “reimagining” of Escape from New York, the classic dystopian action movie from John Carpenter that introduced audiences to the cool, eye-patch-wearing, cobra-tatted anti-hero Snake Plissken (played by Kurt Russell).
The feature project is being put together and will be taken out to market in the coming weeks.
The original 1981 movie was set in a future (then 1997) where Manhattan had been turned into an island-sized maximum-security prison. When the President of the United States crash-lands into the decaying city, with sensitive information that could change the world, former military hero-turned-outlaw Plissken is coerced into rescuing man and has to face gangs, the army, and ex-associates in order to survive.
Snyder’s take on the material is being kept in the briefcase, but the site says that Snyder aims to make a more down and dirty movie, using plenty of practical effects or locations like he did when he remade Dawn of the Dead as his feature debut, than something more overtly slick, such as his later superhero hits, including Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice.
Snyder will also produce, alongside his Stone Quarry production company partners Deborah Snyder and Wesley Coller. Carpenter is also involved with update, serving as executive producer.
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