We haven't heard much about the Escape from New York remake since Fox picked up the rights to reboot the franchise back in early 2015, but now it's being reported that Robert Rodriguez is in talks to take the directing reins on the project.
According to THR, Rodriguez (Planet Terror, From Dusk Till Dawn) is in discussions to direct the Escape from New York remake for 20th Century Fox, with John Carpenter—the director of the original film and its 1996 sequel (Escape from L.A.)—on board as an executive producer with considerable creative input on the project (he's also doing something similar in the Michael Myers franchise by executive producing the new Halloween movie). On Facebook, Carpenter shared his excitement for Rodriguez's potential involvement, writing, "I am thrilled. He is a great director."
The remake will also be produced by Picture Co.'s Andrew Rona and Alex Heineman, and it's believed that 20th Century Fox is hoping to reignite the franchise in a manner similar to their recent Planet of the Apes movies.
Should his deal be finalized, Rodriguez would direct from a screenplay by Neil Cross (Luther), with production being eyed to begin later this year.
It's unclear at this time if Snake Plissken, the anti-hero of the original films, would be the main character in the remake, nor is it known who would play him. It's also unknown if Kurt Russell, who played Snake in the original films, would appear in the remake. Stay tuned to Daily Dead for more updates.
Rodriguez is also directing the James Cameron-produced sci-fi film Alita: Battle Angel for 20th Century Fox, which is slated to come out on July 20th, 2018. Would you like to see what Rodriguez could do with a new take on the dystopian world of Escape from New York?
For those unfamiliar with Escape from New York, we have the synopsis and trailer for the film, which boasts a star-studded cast including Russell, Lee Van Cleef, Donald Pleasence, Adrienne Barbeau, Harry Dean Stanton, Ernest Borgnine, Isaac Hayes, Season Hubley, and Tom Atkins:
"In a world ravaged by crime, the entire island of Manhattan has been converted into a prison which houses the world's most brutal inmates. And when the President of the United States crash lands inside, only one man can bring him back: Snake Plissken, a notorious outlaw and former Special Forces war hero who, in exchange for a full pardon, descends into the decayed city and wages a blistering war against the captors. But time is short: in 24 hours, an explosive charge planted inside Snake's body will end the mission -- and his life -- unless he succeeds."
Raised on a steady diet of R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps books and Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Derek has been fascinated with fear since he first saw ForeverWare being used on an episode of Eerie, Indiana.
When he’s not writing about horror as the Senior News Reporter for Daily Dead, Derek can be found daydreaming about the Santa Carla Boardwalk from The Lost Boys or reading Stephen King and Brian Keene novels.
Daily Dead's Official Podcast! Daily Dead's Official Podcast!
