Posted in: 20th Century Studios, Lionsgate, Movies | Tagged: 20th century studios, Escape From New York, john carpenter, kurt russell, radio silence

Escape from New York: Radio Silence to Helm Reboot for 20th Century

Directing team Radio Silence (Matt Bettinelli-Opin, Tyler Gillett, and Chad Villella)will be taking the reins on the Escape From New York reboot for 20th Century Studios and producing with The Picture Company partners Andrew Rona and Alex Heineman. Original director John Carpenter will serve as an executive producer for the film, a Studiocanal project.

While there are no details on the current approach of the new Escape from New York, a search for a writer is underway. Radio Silence was responsible for the successful relaunch of the Scream franchise, which became a hit for Paramount drawing praise from audience and critics alike, grossing $140 million worldwide at the box office. The team just wrapped the next Scream sans franchise star Neve Campbell. They're also responsible for 2019's Ready or Not for Searchlight Pictures. Steve Asbell and J.R. Young are overseeing Escape from New York for 20th Century.

The 1981 original film from Carpenter, who co-wrote with Nick Castle starred Kurt Russell as Snake Plissken, an ex-soldier and federal prisoner. Set in dystopian 1997, he was sent to New York, which has been converted into the country's sole maximum security prison. He's given 24 hours to rescue the President of the United States and if he achieves his objective, he'll receive a pardon. The film, which also starred Lee Van Cleef, Ernest Borgnine, Donald Pleasence, Isaac Hayes, Harry Dean Stanton, and Adrienne Barbeau, was a box office success garnering $25.2 million.

A 1996 sequel was made in Escape from L.A., which parallels the original storyline where Snake in 2013 is tasked to go to Los Angeles to retrieve the remote for a superweapon for the President stolen by his daughter. To gain compliance, Snake is forcibly injected with a virus that will kill him in 10 hours. The film flopped at the box office but gained a cult following. | Deadline Hollywood

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