The next Zack Snyder movie question just got a definitive answer, and it comes with approval.
Asked on WMMR’s Preston & Steve Show what’s most pressing on his roster, Snyder didn’t hesitate: “Escape from New York will be the — I’m working on it right now. So that’ll be the next thing.”
For Snyder, taking on the John Carpenter classic wasn’t a hard call.
“Escape from New York for me is kind of a no-brainer as far as, like, to do it or not to do it,” he said. “You can imagine that if someone came to you with, ‘Do you want to do a remake of Escape from New York?’ You’d say, ‘Of course.'”
Snyder Met With John Carpenter
Snyder also confirmed he sat down with the man himself, and it fits with how he first met with Frank Miller prior to 300.
“I had a great meeting with John,” Snyder said. “I’m a huge fan. He really is influential in the career and in the way I see movies — the way all of us do, really, let’s be honest. And musically, he’s a genius. What an amazing opportunity for me.”
As for how Carpenter approached the meeting: “John’s cool. John’s like, ‘You know, they’ve seen my movie, so what do you got?'”
What We Know About The Remake
The Hollywood Reporter broke the news in June that Snyder will write and direct the reimagining, with The Picture Company’s Andrew Rona and Alex Heineman producing through their StudioCanal deal, Snyder producing alongside his Stone Quarry partners Deborah Snyder and Wesley Coller, and Carpenter serving as executive producer.
The intent is a theatrical release.
Per THR, Snyder aims for a more down-and-dirty movie with practical effects and locations, in the spirit of his Dawn of the Dead remake rather than his slicker superhero films, which lines up with the film-school approach he described taking on The Last Photograph, which premieres at TIFF on September 13.
Carpenter’s 1981 original starred Kurt Russell as Snake Plissken, sent into a Manhattan turned maximum-security prison to rescue the President.
Between Escape from New York in active development, the 300 series he can’t talk about — “but it is awesome”, and The Dark Knight Returns rumors he says “work”, Snyder’s dance card is telling its own story about where things stand.
