A remake of classic ’80s action film Escape From New York is in the works.
Sin City‘s Robert Rodriguez is set to direct, while Luther creator Neil Cross has been hired to write the script.
The director of the 1981 original, John Carpenter, will return as an executive producer. According to Deadline, he will have a “big say” in the tone of the remake.
Casting for the remake has yet to be announced, but the aim is apparently to turn Escape From New York into a franchise with multiple sequels.
Co-written and directed by Carpenter, the original Escape From New York takes place in a crime-ridden depiction of 1997, which was then 16 years in the future. To house the ever-growing number of criminals, the United States government has converted Manhattan into a maximum security prison.
Kurt Russell stars as a former soldier given 24 hours to find the President of the United States, who has been captured by prisoners after the crash of Air Force One. Harry Dean Stanton, Isaac Hayes and Donald Pleasence co-star.
A less successful sequel, Escape From L.A., followed in 1996.
Meanwhile, Kurt Russell will soon be seen in Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2. Watch the latest trailer here.