Gerard Butler to star in Escape From New York remake?

Category: Escape from New York News (Archived) | Posted by: admin
Article Date: March 13, 2007 | Publication: Filmstalker | Author: Richard Brunton
Publication/Article Link:http://www.filmstalker.co.uk/archives/2007/03/gerard_butler_to_star_in_escap.html
THIS IS BUTLER! Unbelieveable news here, and this could be either a complete triumph or disaster, but Gerard Butler could be starring in a remake of the classic John Carpenter film Escape From New York and playing the superb character of Snake Plissken made famous by Kurt Russell.

I loved that film, and I loved Russell from it, I think I began following him after that film and he quickly moved up my favourite actor list.

The film is about Snake who is a complete bad-ass anti-hero against all forms of establishment. He's been in prison and against the law more times than you could believe, and this is his last chance, but there's an out. The President's plane has crashed over the prison island of New York and the President is lost, the rescue team sent in to get him can't find him and they need one man who can blend in to go get him. So they fit Snake with an explosive device, a timer, and a single mission, get the President out alive and you'll live.

According to Variety several studios are looking to get the picture for a remake and to pull Butler into the action lead. Here's what they say:
Quote:

Gerard Butler is at the center of a package that CAA began shopping Monday for a remake of John Carpenter's 1981 actioner "Escape From New York."

Neal Moritz is attached to produce, with "Black Hawk Down" scribe Ken Nolan penning the screenplay.


Apparently we're waiting to hear an answer this week. What do you think about this? Before 300 (Filmstalker review) I think we would have been a bit sceptical but now there's a damn good chance that he could pull this off. If the studio get behind it and do it right this could be a cracker of a remake and the names attached so far sound quite good.

Could it work? Could Butler carry off Snake, and if this turns out to be true could it work?