Escape from New York set for remake – Kurt Russell isn’t happy March 26, 2007
Posted by showmescifi in escape from new york, john carpenter, kurt russell, scifi, snake plissken.trackback
Another SciFi classic is set for a remake – though some might argue whether or not John Carpenter’s 1981 Escape from New York is classic.
One this is for sure – Kurt Russel’s performance as Snake Plissken makes the movie.
None other than 300’s lead Spartan Gerard Butler is set to take the role of Snake in the remake set for a 2009 release.
Apparently that hasn’t left poor Kurt Russell very happy. In fact multiple news outlets are reporting that he’s quite peeved.
Asked if he’d do a cameo in the new version, he said: “F–k that! I am Snake Plissken! It’s like Sean Connery always watching someone else do their version of Bond.”
Russell isn’t the only one that isn’t happy about the remake, there is already a petition online to Stop The Escape From New York remake.
Just in case you missed it 26 years ago…here’s the 1981 trailer…(trailers sure did suck back then).
Show Me SciFi 
The main feature in the most recent issue of Entertainment Weekly is a look at the upcoming release of Grindhouse. The ETNY remake is mentioned briefly, and Kurt Russell responds to it briefly, emphasizing that he doesn’t enjoy the idea of a non-American playing Plissken.
Kurt Russell was awful in this. I am sure Gerarb Butler can do a better job as he did with 300.
I saw this movie some time ago.. i like the sci-fi like movies and it’s one of the movie that i enjoyed.. maybe with today’s computers it’ll be a better one? hmm.. sometimes things go bad @@”
Kurt Russell helped create the character Snake Plissken! And I agree with Kurt that Snake is an American icon. Apparently some moviegoers don’t have an appreciation for American 80’s classics.
I’m tired of remakes and if Hollywood can’t come up with their own original ideas for new films then maybe they need to step aside and let some of us independent film-makers have a shot. It’s not like it could get any worse. “The Hitcher”; “Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning”; “Psycho”; “The Hills Have Eyes”… Oh yes what wonderful remakes those turned out to be. All they do is stuff it full of CGI and horrible actors/actresses. It’s a cash cow! Michael Bay’s remake exclusive production company “Platinum Dunes” should be ashamed of themselves… all they’re doing is churning out crappy remakes of old horror films we all know and love.
Remakes have got to stop! I don’t know about everyone else but I want to see something original for a change.
Someone said Kurt Russell was awful in this. Well (Mark), I am sorry he was not Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump, but I hear the short bus coming so run off to school and I will explain in further detail later.
I am a Canadian and I agree that it should be an actor from the U.S. playing in the remake, either way, it cannot be someone from Europe, it is Escape from New York, not welcome to Ellis Island!
The comments about Michael Bay were bang-on as well. You CANNOT comprensate for bad acting and a bad script with cartoons, which is all CGI is until it reaches a more believable level.
John Carpenter and Russell created a masterpiece. Check back 10 years from now and see who references the new one versus how many people reference the original.
Movies now lack either the guts or the know-how to unfold without cynicism or light-heartedness. They cannot simply be exist on their own merits because they tend not to have any, especially when they have come out of Hollywood the past few years, which is ironic because Hollywood has made many of the greatest films of all-time.
The audience has been played down to so much the past decade that they come to expect it and these types of projects are the result. Gerard Butler is actually a good actor in my opinion but he should avoid another cartoon so soon in his career, and make a few more real movies first.
Glad to see not everyone out there thinks Ben Affleck and Michael Bay are what we have to settle for.
I was upset for awhile concerning russell saying that because butler was not an american he was not good for the part.I was really upset because im of color,and was an butler fan.And I love the movie escape from new york.It,s an all time classic.And I love kurt russell,and I didnt understand why he would say things like that about butler.Im over 30 yearsold so im not some kid.I loved butler in 300.He,s a really good actor.But when P.S. I Love you came out on Dec 21.It really wasnt that good.And butler has all of these female fan sites,I found out that you cant say that one of butlers movies was not so good.The women really get upset and I think he does too.He,s a ladies man.Look back on all of his movies he,s a ladies man.And escape from new york is about being a badass..At first I did want butler to play snake plissken,I felt he could do the job.And I was really upset that russell made them comments.But just maybe russell seen somthing that alot of us didnt.I think it has nothing to do with Butler not being american,but can he be a badass,and but put the ladies man part away for awhile.It,s like everything I do is great.sounds like some jim jones cult.The women in his fan club sites didnt want him to play snake plissken.Because he,s a ladies man.A real badass can take the good with the bad.Butler thinks that P.S.I love you was this great movie.But dont you dare say anything bad about it,His cat women fan clubs will get you…What did jack nickleson say in a few good men ,YOU CANT HANDLE THE TRUTH.and yes I was a butler fan.And it made me feel bad,because I didnt agree that the movie is good.Can butler play snake plissken.I think Ill listen to russell some more.