Robert Rodriguez might have backed away from major studio films in recent years, but it looks like that's all about to change as Deadline confirms that he's now set to helm the long-awaited Escape From New York remake for Fox.
Rodriguez, who previously directed Sin City and its so-so sequel A Dame To Kill For, had been linked with the film for quite some time and was one of the frontrunners for it since a reboot was announced. He'll direct a screenplay written by Luther creator Andrew Cross, however there's still no word on who'll play Snake Plissken.
So, thoughts? To be honest, a reboot of Escape From New York was going to happen eventually. Robert Rodriguez definitely is the best choice we can think of, as he shares a lot of common traits with Carpenter. For example, he's usually heavily involved in the soundtrack of his own films - often a cost-saving measure - and he works with a small group of actors repeatedly. Not only that, they both have a strong, independent voice and have both been burned by major studios in the past.
What'll really make or break Escape From New York isn't necessarily the director - it's who they'll get to play Snake Plissken. Names that were previously attached included Gerard Butler, Tom Hardy, Timothy Olyphant and even Idris Elba was mentioned at one point. There's not that many actors out there today who could match Kurt Russell's screen presence in Escape From New York, so it really does hinge on who can embody that role.
Our choice? Probably Timothy Olyphant. Watch Deadwood or Justified and then come back to us.
Via Deadline
