Zack Snyder has become associated with making grand epics that (attempt to) elevate pulpy genre lore into grandiose mythology, whether it’s the superhero lore of the DC Universe or the many strands of sci-fi lore that he pulled on to create his Rebel Moonseries. However, since leaving potential franchise-starters like Rebel Moonand Army of the Dead, Snyder has taken a turn toward scaling down his film projects, but one project on his docket that feels like it could go either way is Escape from New York,a reboot of John Carpenter’s 1981 cult-classic sci-fi action film.
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Carpenter made Escape from New Yorkfor $6 million, which gave it a grittiness and edge that still makes it a cinematic relic worth revisiting. So is Zack Snyder interested in taking a similar approach, or will his reboot be full of slow-motion shootouts and other signature Snyder flares?
Zack Snyder Reveals His Approach to Escape From New York
While sitting down with Happy Sad Confusedpodcast host Josh Horowitz, who asked him directly what he’s doing with Escape From New York.
“The approach is… the movie is going to be set in ’97, from the perspective of 1981,” Snyder explained. “I set the movie in sort of the war between the United States police force and the elements, criminal elements, [which] takes place on July 9th, 1981, which is the release date of the original movie. The rest is pretty much Escape from New York.”
That sounds like Snyder’s lore for the film will begin with an inciting event on July 9, 1981, which (based on the original film) will plunge the United States into a dystopian hellscape, with portions of America (like the island of Manhattan) designated as maximum-security prison colonies. Interestingly enough, the original film used geopolitics as the source for the change ( war between the US, the Soviet Union, and China); Snyder describes a story arc that is more about America collapsing under its own socio-political weight:
“I mean, also, talk about a movie that is the perfect combination of kitsch and camp; it’s all the things. That’s why I love it,” Snyder said. “But also, it’s a way that satire can get to us; like, we can make comments about government and all the overreach or whatever you want to call it. The People’s Liberation Front of America. All that stuff is… that’s in the headlines. It’s current in some ways.”
Good dystopian sci-fi stories should reflect the concerns of the present day, with the dystopia serving as a metaphor for socio-political, environmental, or technological consequence. That said, Zack Snyder has become somewhat infamous for making films that spark controversy;this already sounds like it will be another one.
Who Is Playing the New Snake Plissken?
The role of Snake Plissken helped build Kurt Russell into one of the biggest leading men of the 1980s and ’90s, and created the frame for an antihero archetype that is still being mimicked today. Snake was an eyepatch-wearing Special Forces veteran who turned to bank robbery to survive in America’s collapsing economy. He was to be imprisoned in Manhattan, but found a rare opportunity when the President was kidnapped off Air Force One and stranded in the penal colony. Snake is tasked with going in and getting the President out in exchange for a pardon. Luckily, Snake Plissken is a man who is more dangerous than all the freaks and killers he’s trapped with.
Needless to say, anyone stepping into Kurt Russell’s shoes needs maximum aura – and Snyder seems to know who that is. When asked if he already had an eye on an actor to play Snake, Snyder coyly responded, “I may,” but refused to answer whether or not it’s an actor he’s worked with before.
One detail we do know: The new Snake Plissken will still look like the old Snake Plissken – Snyder guarantees it: “He better. He better look like Snake, or I’ll walk out!”
Escape From New Yorkis in development. No release date has been announced.
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