Zack Snyder is getting out of the streaming trenches for a reimagining of Escape from New York.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Snyder is set to write and direct a reimagining of Escape from New York for StudioCanal. The movie was first announced by StudioCanal at CinemaCon in April.
The Picture Company’s Andrew Rona and Alex Heineman will produce through their overall deal with StudioCanal, which shares rights to the property with John Carpenter. Snyder, Deborah Snyder, and Wesley Coller will produce via Stone Quarry, with Carpenter serving as executive producer.
Released in 1981, Escape from New York 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 S.D. “Snake” Plissken (played by Kurt Russell) is coerced into rescuing the man and has to face gangs, the army, and ex-associates in order to survive.
Escape from New York grossed more than $50 million worldwide against a $6 million budget, leading to a sequel, Escape from L.A., being released 15 years later.
Hollywood has been trying to make an Escape from New York remake since the mid-2000s, with the project bouncing between several studios and creative teams. Most recently, Radio Silence had been tapped to direct a version for 20th Century Studios in 2022.
Snyder isn’t exactly hurting for a project, although helming an Escape from New York reboot that is intended to be released theatrically is definitely going to give his career a boost. Since exiting the DCEU ahead of 2017’s Justice League, Snyder has not been part of a wide-released theatrical movie.
The filmmaker has instead been keeping busy over at Netflix with his Army of the Dead and Rebel Moon universes, both of which are believed to be dead. He is currently working on his passion project, the drama The Last Photograph. He is also attached to direct a UFC-backed action movie called Brawler.
Do you think Escape from New York needs a reboot? Who would you cast as Snake? I think Henry Cavill is free.
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