Put this on the list of movies that don’t need to be remade, revisited, re-imagined or whatever the latest politically correct term is for a non-original movie production: John Carpenter’s Escape From New York.
Beyond the fact that I don’t think this movie needs to be remade we have this: First came the news a couple of days ago that Len Wiseman (Underworld, Live Free or Die Hard) who this past August was confirmed as the director for the film was now off the project. His supposed replacement? Brett Ratner.
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Ratner is most well known for his Rush Hour movies, which according to Rotten Tomatoes started out not so great with each subsequent one getting worse. He’s also the guy who stepped in at the eleventh hour to direct X-Men 3, the weakest film in the trilogy.
Then came word that oops, no, Ratner is not directing Escape From New York.
Now comes word that Gerard Butler (King Leonidas in 300), who was tapped to take on Kurt Russell’s iconic Snake Plissken character has bowed out of the movie. He is citing “creative differences.” My question is, if there is currently no director attached to the movie, with whom does he have “differences?” I suppose it must be an issue with the screenplay, written by Ken Nolan (who was the writer of Black Hawk Down).
So now they’re bringing in Jonathan Mostow (Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines) to write and possibly direct, however this begs the question: Did Butler leave because he didn’t like the original screenplay or the concept pitched for the re-write? The timeline here is confusing… if he didn’t like the original but New Line wanted him in it, you’d think they’d say “Hang on a second, we’re bringing in a new writer.” Or was Butler OK with the first script and it was the re-write that he didn’t like?
Either way, I’d say this isn’t looking good right now.
Sources: FirstShowing.net & Variety
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6 Comments
With Gerard Butler off the project, maybe now he could go do “The Black Freighter” for Snyder’s Watchmen.
I second the motion, Mike V. Not interested in a remake of this movie.
When I first heard this I almost drove off the 405 fwy out of the fact that I was pissed and also my front end went out.
Who the frick is going to pay 10 bucks to see this inferior remake. There will only be one version of this film in my heart.
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If there going to just do remake after remake, I vote for films that need to be remade, like 2001 a Space Oddessy, or perhaps Star Wars. They both came out during the 70’s isn’t it time for them too.
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All remakes are a waste of creativity and ultimatly suck,!
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This film will bomb harder than “ghosts of mars”. Also a great remake idea!
Actaully, I would have been for a Star Wars remake if that ment Lucas wouldn’t have f’d with originals.
Vic
I think someone should found a “Surviving Movie Remakes” Support Group. I surely be a member of that.
The only remake that I liked that comes to my mind is The Fly. Baby, that was loooooong time ago!
Hollywood stop with these remakes.
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