Zack Snyder is reportedly set to direct a remake of John Carpenter’s 1981 sci-fi action classic Escape From New York, reviving a project that has been stuck in development for decades with multiple directors and even a prior attachment for Gerard Butler.
A decades-old Hollywood obsession is starting to flicker back to life: Zack Snyder is reportedly set to helm a remake of John Carpenter’s 1981 sci-fi action classic Escape From New York.
The news lands with extra weight because Snyder’s recent work includes the Rebel Moon duology for Netflix. while his earlier directorial debut came with a remake of the George A. Romero horror classic Dawn of the Dead. Now. the filmmaker who’s comfortable rebuilding famous genre worlds may be turning his focus to one of Carpenter’s most durable creations.
Escape From New York has been circling remake plans for years—so long that the project has outlived several different creative teams. Over time, Len Wiseman, Brett Ratner, and Robert Rodriguez were all signed on to direct at various points. At one stage. Gerard Butler even signed on to star. cementing the remake’s ability to attract big names even as it repeatedly stalled.
Most recently, Scream’s Radio Silence were tapped to remake Escape From New York. But they have since moved on to resurrect The Mummy for Universal, leaving the door open again for the next attempt to bring Carpenter’s dystopian vision back to screens.
Carpenter’s 1970s and 1980s directorial output—while not all immediate box-office or critical triumphs—has increasingly been regarded as one of the strongest runs of any 20th century director. That legacy has helped fuel a steady stream of reboots. prequels. and continuations across the decades. from Halloween to The Thing and Assault on Precinct 13.
The remake history of Escape From New York now reads like the story of a film that won’t stop pulling attention, even after multiple false starts. Each time a new director stepped in—or a cast name was briefly secured—the project edged forward, only to shift paths again later.
At this point, the details beyond Snyder’s reported involvement remain part of a developing story, with the production still navigating the same long, winding reality that has defined the remake for decades.
Zack Snyder Escape From New York remake John Carpenter 1981 sci-fi action Rebel Moon Radio Silence Len Wiseman Brett Ratner Robert Rodriguez Gerard Butler The Mummy Scream Hollywood development hell