ROTTEN TOMATOES: Kurt Russell Chimes in On the "Escape from New York" Remake

Kurt Russell Chimes in On the "Escape from New York" Remake

by Scott Weinberg | March 23, 2007

You know how Gerard Butler was just asked to star in a remake of "Escape from New York"? Well, the original Snake Plissken (that'd be Kurt Russell, of course) is none too happy about the decision.

Mr. Russell actually winced when asked about the Butler doing it. And not exactly for the reasons you might think. Check out this quote: "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."

So maybe in this new version, Plissken isn't American. Or heck, maybe Butler will employ an American accent. It's been known to happen.

And when asked if he'd consider a cameo role in the new version of "New York," Kurt got even more animated: ""(Expletive) that! I am Snake Plissken! It's like Sean Connery always watching someone else do their version of Bond."

Well, not exactly the same, Kurt. But we feel your pain. You ARE Snake Plissken, pal, and none of Gerard Butler's abdomen can take your place. But to compare Connery's Bond films with the awesome "Escape from New York" and the generally insipid "Escape from L.A." seems like a bit of a stretch.

Source: IGN Movies

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(1-20 of 24 posts) | Reply

mojodaddy writes:
on Mar 23 2007 05:37 AM

Haha that's funny. Kurt Russell himself is just as badass as Plissken!

(Reply to this)

digitalsoul68 writes:
on Mar 23 2007 06:13 AM

Sorry, Kurt, but you're about 30 years too old to play Snake again.

He COULD play SOLID SNAKE, though.

(Reply to this)

GreenBastard writes:
on Mar 23 2007 06:49 AM

AHH this sucks, Kurt Russel is Awsome, anyone who tries to make another Escape is gona look so lame!

(Reply to this)

Xhrix writes:
on Mar 23 2007 07:51 AM

Mid-life crisis perhaps?

(Reply to this)

Merlin235 writes:
on Mar 23 2007 08:36 AM

At least make a sequel, or a prequel. To RE-make his movie is insulting, at least wait until he's dead. That's how I'd feel if I were him, anyways.

(Reply to this)

skasforfags writes:
on Mar 23 2007 08:59 AM

What a douche bag.

(Reply to this)

toniokruger writes:
on Mar 23 2007 09:00 AM

Russel owns part of the franchise. He should go ahead make ESCAPE FROM AMERICA himself.

(Reply to this)

arion writes:
on Mar 23 2007 09:57 AM

[b]Russell the Remake King?[/b]
Isn't it a bit hypocritical to be in several remakes yourself (The Thing, Posiden) and then bash others for remaking a movie? I hope other actors don't start bashing you because this kind of press just makes you sound whiney. I'll be seeing the Butler movie.

(Reply to this)

Prosper761 writes:
on Mar 23 2007 10:11 AM

In reply to this comment (#859145)
He may have appeared in those remakes, but he wasn't playing a specific charcater which had been created by another actor in either of those films. When an actor creates a character, he tends to be rather possessive about it. I think a remake of "Escape from New York" could go either way - good or bad - but I don't think it should really be done at all. There are plenty of original scripts out there being completely ignored because Hollywood number crunchers are loo lazy and too scared to take a chance on something new.

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Now it's dark writes:
on Mar 23 2007 10:19 AM

Plissken is from the future too. Where will they find an actor to fit that?

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OGRE3001 writes:
on Mar 23 2007 10:30 AM

Snake Plissken is an icon, just like Bond and both are associated heavily with one actor that made them classics. I am often reminded of one of my favorite quotes about young people, "They'd rather have a shiny new quarter then a weathered old $50 dollar bill". Generation X? More like Generation Dense...

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clamman27 writes:
on Mar 23 2007 10:46 AM

Weinberg never gets it. He's not comparing the films... but the characters. To a good number of people out there Connery was/is Bond just like Kurt was/is Snake. I think it's a really fair comparison, regardless of movie quality or quantity.

Regardless, a remake is a bad idea anyway, but a remake with Gerard Butler is like booking a ticket on the Titanic... disaster waiting to happen. Butler needs to learn how to know when he's been miscast. You would have thought the man would have learned something from his awful turn in "Phantom" to be a little more realistic as to what he can-and more importantly, can NOT do. "Can you sing?" "Oh yes, I'm a great singer!" Not.

At the end of the day, is an "Escape" remake necessary? No. It might turn out pretty good with a visionary director and the right actor in the role. But that's not Hollywood, kids. The wrong director who doesn't get or respect the material will be chosen and he'll either get or be forced to use some name talent that's just 100% wrong for the role and what could have been a kick ass remake will sink to the bottom of the bowl waiting to be flushed with the rest of the crappy remakes being pumped out these days.

(Reply to this)

The_Corrector writes:
on Mar 23 2007 12:07 PM

In reply to this comment (#859146)
It could be good or bad eh, you're really puttuing yourself out on a limb there

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bobtom writes:
on Mar 23 2007 12:44 PM

This franchise belongs to Kurt Russel and John Carpenter... End of story. No sequels or prequels should be done unless through them, and definitely no remakes!

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bigbrother writes:
on Mar 23 2007 01:00 PM

Although I like Butler in the few things I've seen him in, I'm gonna have to agree with Russell on this one. There's nothing in his filmography that leads me to believe he's ready to replace an icon. Kurt Russell will forever be Snake no ifs ands or buts. Think about his as well who do you think of as Obi Wan Kenobi? Alec Guinness or Ewan McGregor? How about Willy Wonka? Johnny Depp or Gene Wilder? Don't even get me started on the casts of The two Magnificent Seven movies and TV Shows. No matter who you get, trying to replace an icon is a fools errand. Hence why in this remake happy world we've haven't seen a Great Escape or Bullitt remake. There's only one Steve McQueen boys and there's only one Snake Pliskin.

Oh Yeah, and Kirby Silver Surfer is the ONLY Silver Surfer :)

(Reply to this)

tsalin@hotmail.com writes:
on Mar 23 2007 02:12 PM

can we just say that Snake is not that strong a character to start with. ok he's got a patch over one eye. That's kind of cool... but come on Kirk, don't flatter yourself asshole. both escape from new york and LA sucked. I'm just trying to escape this remake and your ego. go back to superhero highschool...

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beedlej00z writes:
on Mar 23 2007 02:18 PM

[b]Pssht.[/b]
For Crying out loud! The industry is freakn bare boned for ideas! I agree with Bobtom; Kurt Russel/John Carpenter are the only people that should be involved with anything Snake Pliskin. (movies,promos,video-games, or media) Now what I pray for is a sequal to "They Live" that includes Roddy Piper...

(Reply to this)

bigbrother writes:
on Mar 23 2007 02:27 PM

In reply to this comment (#859153)
It's Kurt actually, Mr. Russell was never Capt of the Enterprise or in Spartacus. If you don't know enough about the guy to get his name right how are we supposed to take your opinion of him seriously.

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wilkiedriver writes:
on Mar 23 2007 08:04 PM

Butler will be great as Plisken, but it shows we got a bunch of pussies for American actors now (too many to list) that was have to go to Australia or Scotland for real American action roles. We all complained that action movies have to be smart now and star actors that should have little to do with action movies. DiCaprio is no pussy, because he is that good. No, I'm not sold on Matt Damon, even after the Bourne movies. Wahlberg kicks ass, so he's cool. I'm sorta rambling and drunk, so could somebody try to clarify what I'm trying to say?

(Reply to this)

Aqueryan Reloaded writes:
on Mar 25 2007 03:58 PM

In reply to this comment (#859155)
Insert dagger and twist for maximum effect. Very nice. :D

(Reply to this)

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