Kurt Russell's Steaming Over New 'Escape' Film

by Scott Weinberg Mar 24th 2007 // 9:02AM

Filed under: Action, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels

Just a few days ago we learned that a new rendition of John Carpenter's Escape from New York was in the planning stages, and also that 300 star Gerard Butler had been tapped to play the role of legendary bad-ass Snake Plissken. (Then we heard that the project might be more of a prequel than a remake, but who really knows at this point?) Either way the thing is definitely moving forward, much to the apparent chagrin of the original Snake Plissken.

"I will say that when I was told who was going to play Snake Plissken, my initial reaction was 'Oh, man!' [Russell winces]. I do think that character was quintessentially one thing. And that is, American," is what Kurt Rusell recently told Entertainment Weekly. Ouch. See, I never really got much of the "patriotism" vibe from the Plissken character ... and I've seen Escape from New York about a dozen times. (Plus, doesn't he end the movie sort of dooming America to a new stone age?) The actor also insists that he "created" Snake Plissken, despite the fact that the screenwriting credits on Escape from New York belong to John Carpenter and Nick Castle. Not knocking the guy's cult classic performance, but ... created? C'mon, Kurt, chill out a little.

But it gets a bit zanier. Russell, an actor I've always admired and still do, also got a little snippy while discussing the possibility of a cameo appearance: "(Expletive) that! I am Snake Plissken! It's like Sean Connery always watching someone else do their version of Bond." Really, Kurt? One kitschy masterpiece and a really lame sequel are the same as, say, Dr. No, From Russia with Love, Thunderball and Goldfinger? I mean, if you felt such a connection to the character, then why didn't you and Carpenter come up with a few new ideas every few years? (Oh, how I've tried to enjoy Escape from L.A. I really have.) I don't care if he's being a bit short-sighted on this one. Kurt Russell is still the man. I bet he could beat up Chuck Norris.

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Tags: angry, cinematical, escape from new york, EscapeFromNewYork, gerard butler, GerardButler, kurt russell, KurtRussell, remake, scott weinberg, ScottWeinberg

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