A couple weeks ago New Line Cinema won rights to remake Escape From New York with 300 star Gerard Butler attached to star. But what does Kurt Russell, the star of the original film think of all this? We found out.
“My standard joke is, ‘Oh, my God, wait until stuntman Mike hears about this?’ Look, they’re going to do their movie. Our movie is there, it’s there to be seen. It’s always been there and it’ll always be there,” Russell told /Film at the Grindhouse Junket. “I think that the motion picture business is not a sacred business and I think that everyone should do what they want to do.”
“My personal take on it is that it’s 2007 and I’m doing ‘Grindhouse.’ That was twenty seven years ago. God, I don’t even think about it. It doesn’t register. It’s like, ‘Whatever.’ They did some Disney movies that I did, they remade some of those. They did ‘Stargate’ which turned into the longest running sci-fi television show of all time. They took ‘Backdraft’ and turned it into two different television series on TV. They’re going to redo ‘The Thing.’ They’re going to do a remake of ‘Escape from New York’ and I’m sure that they’ll remake some other movies that I’m done. Whatever.”
And will Russell make a cameo in the new Escape?
“If they want to give me $25 million to say hello or something I’ll consider that.”
I wouldn’t count on it.
You can see Kurt in Grindhouse which hits theaters on April 6th 2007.
March 26th, 2007 at 9:26 pm
Thanks for passing that on our way. I was wondering what Russell thought of his movies being remade and now we know the answer. Have to admit, my respect for him is higher than it was before reading this post and Russell’s comments.
March 26th, 2007 at 10:10 pm
I don’t quite look good on this remake…maybe that’s because I’m a fan of Russell, long time no see him on a moive though.
April 9th, 2007 at 12:53 pm
truthfully i agree, kurt rusell made that role and every time any one thinks of snake pliskin, they think of kurt rusell. to me it would be interesting to see but in my heart it is one of those movies that really does not need to be re-made. next thing you know some one will be remaking the good, the bad and the ugly or the God father,..dont try to re-work somthing that is not broke.
October 7th, 2007 at 1:35 am
What a bad idea, leave the classic alone. I can’t believe john carpenter can let this happen either. doesnt he own part of the film’s rights? BRETT RATNER WILL RUIN THIS “RE MAKE”, SHOULDNT BE REMADE IMO.
October 23rd, 2007 at 3:03 pm
Remakes are the all the rage now. Why be original when you can capitalize on someone else’s good idea? Doesn’t matter if its the car industry or movies. “Battlestar” re-imagined gained high ratings and pulled a wide audience demographic, which ultimately brings new viewers into sci-fi which will help keep the genre alive. Same here. Who knows, maybe it will spawn a good TV show.
November 20th, 2007 at 10:42 pm
DEATHPROOF. NOW THERES SOME QUALITY ACTING. WHAT A JOKE