Sunday, November 7, 2010 at 3:11PM Jeremy Renner as Snake Plissken?
There have been rumors for years about remaking Escape from New York, but this one seems a bit more solid than before. It's been reported that Jeremy Renner of Hurt Locker fame is in the early stages of being cast in the iconic role of Snake Plissken.
I reacted basically the same way whenever I hear talk of remaking Escape from New York. I'm certainly not surprised, as everything is being remade these days. But to me, Snake Plissken is one of those characters that should be retired. Kurt Russell's portrayal of the character was larger than the movie itself. The plots of Escape from New York and Escape from LA weren't deep or memorable, but what Snake did in those movies was.
But, to play my own devil's advocate, I felt the same about Jack Nicholson as the Joker. I cringed a bit at the news of another actor playing the legendary villain, but realized that where a new Batman movie series would go, so would the Joker. And I have to say, Heath Ledger did an amazing job in that role.
So maybe that will be the case. Usually it's the idea of remaking one of my old favorite movies that makes my stomach turn, but sometimes I'm pleasantly surprised. Maybe I'm just subconsciously keeping my expectations low when it comes to remakes?
I'd like to hear what our readers think. Remake Escape from New York with Jeremy Renner (or another actor of your choosing), or leave it alone?
Reader Comments (6)
I think Renner is an interesting choice. He was great in The Town and Hurt Locker, but I just can't picture him in Escape from New York.
I'm just not crazy about taking THE SAME PREMISE and remaking it. I mean the idea of taking a city and turning it into a gulag/prison isn't so far out after the climax of "Children of Men". But do it with say Lawrence, Kansas instead of A MAJOR WORLD CITY, for Pete's sake.
I agree on both points. Renner is a good actor, no doubt, just not sure if he's the right guy to continue or redo Plissken.
And I too would like to see more originality. I mean, yeah, the script would be more modernized, but doesn't it get to the point where we want some more original ideas and stories? I love the idea of a city-turned-prison, just give us a new city. And characters.
I was (am) a huge fan of the original. And I enjoy seeing things updated and I think Renner could do a great job with Plissken. I can see him taking some things as homages to Kurt, while putting his own spin on it.
Having said that, it seems there is a big problem here. The movie is titled "Escape From New York". "Escape From Lawrence" just doesn't have the same bite. In addition, of all the major cities in the world, what other city is as iconic and could realistically (somewhat) be so completely isolated? Perhaps London? Certainly no other city in the US. But, the original was made pre-Giuliani. Now New York is the safest big city in America. If someone wants to abandon a major city how about Detroit?
I am trying very hard to be open-minded, but I am skeptical at this point.
I don't think it should be called "Escape From...." ANYWHERE! I like the idea of Detroit though. Another idea - and a bit of an homage to the original - St. Louis, where they filmed the original. Just make it the Bourne movies meets "Children of Men", but don't do another "too late for the exploitation era" movie like the original.
You could easily take a city like Detroit in today's economic environment, and spin what would happen if it got worse. Instead of a prison, we could say it turns into a police state sort of city (think District 13 without the walls). A city ruled by crime. Someone important could get kidnapped or something and need to be freed from the city. There, an Escape from New York style plot, relevant to today's time, and no need for a remake. It took a few people posting on some blog news to think it up, get on it Hollywood!