Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, the directing duo known as Radio Silence have been on a hot streak with critical financial hits such as Ready or Not, Scream 5 & 6, and Abigail, so it is no wonder they were tapped over year ago to direct an Escape From New York reboot. Well, there is an unfortunate update on the film.
While speaking with ComicBook.com, Gillett revealed the two are no longer attached to direct the project.
“We are not, unfortunately. I think titles like that bounce around for a while and I think they’ve tried to get that out of the blocks a few times. I think it’s just ultimately a tricky rights issue thing. There’s a clock on it and we just weren’t in a position to make the clock, ultimately. But who knows? I think, in hindsight, it feels crazy that we would think we would, post-Scream, step into a John Carpenter franchise. You never know. There’s still interest in it and we’ve had a few conversations about it but we’re not attached in any official capacity.”
Released in 1981 and directed by John Carpenter, the original film’s storyline, set in the near-future world of 1997, concerns a crime-ridden United States, which has converted Manhattan Island in New York City into the country’s sole maximum security prison. Air Force One is hijacked by anti-government insurgents who deliberately crash it into the walled borough. Ex- Special Forces and current federal prisoner Snake Plissken (Disney Legend Kurt Russell) is given just 24 hours to go in and rescue the President of the United States, after which, if successful, he will be pardoned.
The film received positive reviews from critics and was a commercial success, grossing more than $25.2 million at the box office. The film was nominated for four Saturn Awards, including Best Science Fiction Film and Best Direction. The film became a cult classic and was followed by a sequel, Escape from L.A., which was also directed and written by Carpenter and starred Russell.
