Leigh Whannell will write & maybe direct Escape from New York remake

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

A few days ago we passed along the news that Leigh Whannell is all set to write and direct Blumhouse's reboot of THE INVISIBLE MAN and already we have word that Whannell is attached to another big project. This time it's FOX's remake of John Carpenter's ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK.

Whannell will write the script for the remake of Carpenter's 1980s classic, and while there's currently no deal for him to direct, "the door is open for that possibility." Neil Cross (LUTHER) wrote the most recent draft of the script and Robert Rodriguez was attached to direct. Not sure what happened there but maybe he's still attached to helm the film. I guess we'll see.

Whannell is said to be kickstarting the remake with a new vision that will retain elements of the original but bring new ideas to the table. One of his goals is to avoid the path that all but killed other 1980's reboots such as ROBOCOP and TOTAL RECALL. Let's hope he succeeds. I have faith. 

Here's the synopsis of ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK:

In 1997, a major war between the United States and the Soviet Union is concluding, and the entire island of Manhattan has been converted into a giant maximum security prison. When Air Force One is hijacked and crashes into the island, the president (Donald Pleasence) is taken hostage by a group of inmates. Snake Plissken (Kurt Russell), a former Special Forces soldier turned criminal, is recruited to retrieve the president in exchange for his own freedom.

Andrew Rona and Alex Heineman are producing. Carpenter is executive producing.