Leigh Whannell Reveales ‘Escape from New York’ Reboot is Not Happening, But He Would Direct It

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Out of the numerous abandoned movie remakes in Hollywood over the past few years, the revival of John Carpenter’s dystopian action film, Escape from New York, seems to have slipped through the cracks. Despite rumors surrounding the project based on the beloved cult classic featuring in the coveted role of Snake Plissken, director James Whannell has spoken about the likelihood of the project’s revival.

At present, Whannell is actively marketing his latest Universal horror film titled “Wolf Man“. In a recent conversation with ComicBook, the director expressed that he would be amenable to revisiting the classic movie, but doesn’t foresee it happening in the near future. To quote him directly:

As a movie enthusiast, I’ve come to realize that the film industry can be quite unpredictable. Projects often meet an untimely end due to various factors, ranging from losing rights to simple creative differences with producers. It sometimes feels like the successful projects are mere accidents – “Wow, this one actually made it!” So, while I’d consider reviving a project like ‘Escape from New York’, for now, it seems that it remains just an idea on the back burner.

According to Whannell’s perspective, whether his view on remakes of classic films is perceived as positive or negative may depend on one’s personal opinion about Hollywood’s penchant for reimagining old tales. For those who think that the film industry excessively focuses on retelling old stories in a new way, the news that a potential remake might not happen could be the best update Whannell could have provided.

If There Is an ‘Escape From New York’ Reboot, Fans Want One Person to Lead It

Initially, when rumors arose about the re-making of “Escape From New York”, fans weren’t very enthusiastic about the prospect of a new actor playing the famous eye-patched character, Snake Plissken, initially portrayed by Russell. However, the idea of a possible remake coincided with Russell and his son Wyatt collaborating on the “MonsterVerse” series titled “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters”. This collaboration led many to suggest that if “Escape From New York” needed to be re-made (which some argue it doesn’t), then Wyatt Russell would be their top choice for the role of Snake Plissken.

In the TV series “Monarch”, portraying the same character across different stages of his life sparked curiosity among fans about a possible younger Russell assuming his father’s iconic role. However, during an interview, Wyatt expressed some reservations about this concept. He stated, “I was not completely in agreement with the idea at that point.

The general consensus is that those films were exceptional due to their distinctiveness. What sets them apart is not just their initial success at the box office, but the fact they have a life of their own beyond an opening weekend. This vitality comes from the extraordinary ideas behind them. John Carpenter, Kurt Russell, and the entire cast brought these original concepts to life, as they weren’t based on comic books before. I believe ‘The Thing’ was adapted from ‘Who Goes There?’, though. Attempts to remake these films, in my opinion, are misguided.

At present, enthusiasts of “Escape from New York” can take comfort knowing a reboot isn’t in motion just yet. However, should circumstances alter in the future, we’ll simply have to remain patient and observe. Interestingly, while Wyatt Russell may not be keen on assuming the role, director Whannell appears eager to step behind the camera for such a project instead.

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2025-01-09 04:01