Breck Eisner Hopes To ‘Escape From New York’

By  · Published on April 23rd, 2010

Remember a few years ago when news first broke about plans for a remake of John Carpenter’s Escape From New York? Roughly three years ago actually. Well someone still thinks it’s a good idea.

New Line and Overtures are moving the remake closer to production, and thankfully many of the names first associated with it have since left the project. Okay, I’m really only thinking of one name here… Gerard Butler. He was set to play the role of Snake Plissken made famous by Kurt Russell in the 1981 original (and then shat on by Russell and Carpenter in the shatty sequel, Escape From L.A.). I have no beef with Butler, but the guy can’t act and he usually drags otherwise mediocre movies down a few notches more. One other name previously attached to the project is Len Beckinsale née Wiseman, and while I actually would have been okay with him onboard I’m actually much happier with the new guy.

Heat Vision is reporting today that Breck Eisner is in talks to helm the remake, and if you don’t recognize the name then it may mean you made the mistake of not seeing the recent horror film The Crazies. That too was a remake directed by Eisner, and it was a damn good one. To be fair, the original George Romero-directed film is a stinking pile of meh. Carpenter’s film on the other hand is a classic and almost thirty years later is still entertaining as hell.

The original Escape From New York is set in the far off future of 1997 and features a police state where the island of Manhattan has been surrounded by a giant concrete wall and turned into a prison. The U.S. president’s plane crashes into the city and the outside authorities see only one option to get him back… Snake Plissken. Ex-military, weapons expert, hang-glider pilot, and currently serving time for bank robbery, Plissken is 190 pounds of one-eyed attitude. The movie is filled with action, crazy street people, soul singers, and cleavage, and a remake has a tough road ahead if it wants to capture even a quarter of its appeal.

What do you think about Breck Eisner directing Escape From New York? What kind of name is Breck anyway?

Rob Hunter has been writing for Film School Rejects since before you were born, which is weird seeing as he's so damn young. He's our Chief Film Critic and Associate Editor and lists 'Broadcast News' as his favorite film of all time. Feel free to say hi if you see him on Twitter @FakeRobHunter.