New Remake Of Kurt Russell's Cult Classic 45-Year-Old Sci-Fi Thriller Officially Confirmed

Kurt Russell’s cult classic ’80s sci-fi thriller is officially getting a new take.

StudioCanal’s Global Marketing and Distribution executive Hugh Spearing confirmed at CinemaCon on Monday, April 13 that the studio is collaborating with The Picture Company on a “reimagining” of Escape from New York. The original 1981 film starred Kurt Russell as Bob “Snake” Plissken, was directed by horror icon John Carpenter, and co-written by Carpenter and Nick Castle.

Escape from New York follows Snake, a former Special Forces officer and new federal prisoner, in a crime-heavy dystopian future in which Manhattan has been transformed into a maximum security prison. Snake is given 24 hours to enter New York City and rescue the President of the United States in exchange for a pardon.

In addition to movie star Kurt Russell, the original Escape from New York cast included Lee Van Cleef, Ernest Borgnine, Donald Pleasence, Isaac Hayes, Season Hubley, Adrienne Barbeau, and Harry Dean Stanton. The sci-fi thriller performed well at the box office following its 1981 release, earning over $25 million globally against a reported $6 million budget (via Box Office Mojo). Its success led to the release of a sequel, Escape from L.A., in 1996, with both Carpenter and Russell returning.

Before StudioCanal’s newly-confirmed reimagining, there have been various attempts over the years to remake or expand on Escape from New York. Most recently, it was reported in 2022 that an Escape from New York continuation was in the works from directing duo Radio Silence, who previously helmed the Scream (2022) and Scream VI reboots and are now set to direct the upcoming sequel The Mummy 4. However, it’s unclear if that project is still on the docket given StudioCanal’s new effort.

Escape from New York has also received various comic book offshoots since 1997, with a potential anime spinoff having reportedly been in the works back in 2003. However, StudioCanal’s new movie may become the first official Escape from New York project to premiere on the big screen since 1996.

Currently, it’s unclear which directors, writers, or actors are attached to StudioCanal’s upcoming Escape from New York remake. While Spearing also didn’t disclose a potential release year, confirmations at CinemaCon are often related to a studio’s projects slated within the next couple of years.

In addition to a new Escape from New York, StudioCanal revealed that its current slate of films in development include the highly-anticipated Paddington 4, a remake of Joe Dante’s 1981 horror film The Howling, a new thriller from Sean Byrne titled The Mannequin, and an adaptation of Matt Haig’s 2020 bestselling fantasy novel The Midnight Library.