“300” filmmaker Zack Snyder is attached to write and direct a remimagining of John Carpenter’s cult classic “Escape From New York” for Studiocanal and The Picture Company, TheWrap has learned.
The package, based on the Kurt Russell sci-fi action classic, will hit the studios and steamers in the coming weeks.
“Escape from New York” is a 1981 independent sci-fi action film from legendary filmmaker John Carpenter. Carpenter co-wrote the screenplay with Nick Castle.
“Escape from New York” from 1981 followed criminal Snake Plissken (Kurt Russell), who is recruited to save the President (Donald Pleasence) after his plane goes down in New York City, now a walled-off penal colony full of the worst of the worst. Defined largely by its believably decayed production design (assisted by a young James Cameron), a supporting cast full of colorful character actors (including Lee Van Cleef, Ernest Borgnine, Isaac Hayes, Tom Atkins, Harry Dean Stanton and Adrienne Barbeau) and Carpenter’s evocative electronic score, it has endured as a true cult classic and one of Carpenter’s very best films.
Russell would return as Snake Plisken in “Escape from L.A.,” a 1996 sequel again directed by Carpenter. Carpenter co-wrote the follow-up alongside Russell and Debra Hill (Carpenter’s longtime partner with whom he wrote “Halloween”).
Producing the reimagining are The Picture Company partners Andrew Rona and Alex Heineman via their overall deal with StudioCanal, along with Carpenter, who controls the underlying rights to the IP.
Snyder will also produce via his Stone Quarry banner with partners Deborah Snyder and Wesley Coller. Carpenter is executive producing.
The Hollywood Reporter first reported the news.
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