ROTTEN TOMATOES: Escape from New York Escapes from Len Wiseman

Escape from New York Escapes from Len Wiseman

Plus: Gears of War adaptation off the table?

by Jeff Giles | October 05, 2007

If you read the news that Len Wiseman would be directing the pending remake of John Carpenter's Escape from New York and groaned, we've got some good news for you. And also possibly some bad news.

Since it's Friday, how about we give you the good news first: According to IESB, Wiseman is no longer attached to the project. This news started as a rumor over at Ain't It Cool News, but IESB contacted a source at New Line and "was able to confirm the story which is no longer a rumor but instead 100% fact."

Now for some news that might not make you so happy. According to various sites, including IESB and CHUD, Escape from New York's new director is none other than...drum roll, please...Brett Ratner. (In the words of CHUD's Jeremy Smith: "Before Len Wiseman came aboard, the worst thing the Escape from New York remake had going for it was a generic action script. Now, it just got the cinematic equivalent of herpes.")

The news, apparently, gets worse for Wiseman; IESB is reporting that in addition to being relieved of his Escape from New York duties, he's also about to get the keys to Gears of War taken away. New Line is reportedly concerned over the film's rapidly expanding budget:

Video game adaptations are not proven blockbusters the way comic book films have become in the last 10 years. Studios have a hard time gambling $100 million dollars plus to a genre that has not been able to break out of the "Uwe Boll" stereotypes.

So, to sum it all up, we'll be getting a Brett Ratner-directed Escape from New York remake and (probably) no Gears of War adaptation. Happy Friday, folks!

Source: IESB
Source: CHUD

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(1-20 of 29 posts) | Reply

JpPrewitt789 writes:
on Oct 05 2007 05:36 AM

Great....

(Reply to this)

Heath Huxall writes:
on Oct 05 2007 05:48 AM

Well, I thought the 'Escape From New York' remake was a bad idea anyway.

(Reply to this)

jacog writes:
on Oct 05 2007 05:49 AM

So... are remakes of 80s movies "proven blockbusters" then??

The reason video game adaptations are not doing so well, is because most of the time they suck. And what's this obsession with doing adaptations of shooter games that have very little plot to begin with?

Why not do something like Grim Fandango instead? Hell, I'd pay to see a decent film adaptation of that.

(Reply to this)

Heath Huxall writes:
on Oct 05 2007 06:18 AM

In reply to this comment (#1169179)
Here, here!

(Reply to this)

Koooomar writes:
on Oct 05 2007 06:28 AM

Wow, so i didn't think that Wiseman would be terrible but i was dissapointed when i heard that he was doing the remake. Now i just want them to forget about the project all together and move on, because Ratner is going to seirously **** this up.

(Reply to this)

runmong writes:
on Oct 05 2007 06:42 AM

Maybe if they got a director with talent to do a VG adaptation it wouldn't blow. Just an idea.

(Reply to this)

Jenkinsbball writes:
on Oct 05 2007 08:22 AM

EFNY was gay to begin with, so who cares if they remake it. Maybe it'll break the $1,000 mark at the box office, you never know.

(Reply to this)

cmonsteve writes:
on Oct 05 2007 08:24 AM

been a fan of this site for awhile and finally decided to get off my lazy bones and do some posting and this moronic article was the straw that broke brett ratner's back, actually that doesn't sound like such a bad idea. cheers to you all!!!

(Reply to this)

Shatter24 writes:
on Oct 05 2007 08:27 AM

Escape from New York was a classic post-apocalyptic film, with a great anti-hero protaganist. This was Carpenter in his hey-day. If you want to complain EFLA sucked, I wouldn't argue you on that (and you'd have a case). You have no case on EFNY, so let's move on.

(Reply to this)

GravitaZ writes:
on Oct 05 2007 08:39 AM

Oh boy, Ratner is about to destroy another film franchise.

(Reply to this)

taran72 writes:
on Oct 05 2007 09:08 AM

Len Wiseman wouldn't have been a horrible choice...Live Free or Die Hard wasn't too bad. At least it looks like he's improving. Ratner, on the other hand, will make this EFNY into a Rollerball-esque debacle. If he talks Kurt Russell into a cameo, that would be so sad.

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jeremyd4 writes:
on Oct 05 2007 09:30 AM

I'd pay to see "Grim Fandango" too! Whilst we're at it, can we have a Monkey Island and "Full Throttle" film adaption too.

I mean, I don't see why this hasn't happened already, they're adventure games produced by LucasArts!! They could easily get the support to make the jump to the big screen.

(Reply to this)

dracus writes:
on Oct 05 2007 10:27 AM

Here's an original idea for a movie: "Escape From The Bloody Remakes"

(Reply to this)

Moefoe writes:
on Oct 05 2007 10:53 AM

Maybe, just maybe if there's a workable script with some reasonable dialog Ratner can pull it off, maybe. Booms, bangs and dazzling camera work he can do, I mean Running Scared had everything you'd want in a flick with the exception of a plot and pretty Pauly Walker. I think guy's like Ratner get tossed into doing stuff like this "do it or you'll never work in this town again" deal. Do you really think he pushed to direct X3 and Rush 3, not a chance. Wiseman probably felt the studio was trying to dictate his movie, direct it from the board room, he rebelde and got the boot.

(Reply to this)

sickofitall writes:
on Oct 05 2007 11:12 AM

In reply to this comment (#1169304)
you are gay *******

(Reply to this)

rgallitan writes:
on Oct 05 2007 01:12 PM

Sheesh people. You all know this remake is a terrible idea to begin with. So what do you care who directs it? It could be directed by that Pitof guy who did "Catwoman," or by Uwe Boll himself - there's nothing they could do to ruin the movie because it's already a ruin right out of the gate. Ratner's as good or better than this project deserves.

(Reply to this)

atticus-alaric writes:
on Oct 05 2007 01:13 PM

What is all this talk about good news? Len Wiseman was a fine choice to remake this. He certainly proved himself worthy with Live Free or Die Hard.

This is just bad news ALL around especially with Ratner getting into the mix.

(Reply to this)

damvbat writes:
on Oct 05 2007 01:30 PM

Yea thanks for the tgi f@@king f

(Reply to this)

therereturn writes:
on Oct 05 2007 01:49 PM

In reply to this comment (#1169677)
Yeah, uh.... actually Ratner campaigned for X3 once Vaughn left. So, uh, yeah. Ratner blows. Wiseman is a fanboy with a chip on his shoulder. Ratner is just a hack.

(Reply to this)

ManofStee1 writes:
on Oct 05 2007 05:51 PM

This is the kind of news that makes me want to smash my face against a brick wall until I can't feel feelings anymore.

(Reply to this)