New Line’s remake of Escape From New York appears to be falling apart. First Len Wiseman supposedly left the project, and was replaced by hack director Brett Ratner. Yesterday Ratner denied being involved in the project. And tonight Gerard Butler has left the project due to “creative differences”. I wonder what the real story is behind the scenes.
New Line have brought Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines helmer Jonathan Mostow in to rewrite, with an option to direct. Mostow’s filmography also includes Breakdown and U-571. He’s also attached to write and direct a remake of Swiss Family Robinson for Disney, a big screen adaptation of the comic book Sub-Mariner, and Real Steel, a robot boxing drama set in the future.
As I’ve said in the past, I’m not really a fan of Gerard Butler. I’m one of the few people that thinks a Escape From New York remake is worth making purely based on the benefits of modern day computer effects. Butler would have been an awful Snake Pliskin. But what actor can fill Kurt Russell’s shoes, now really?
October 31st, 2007 at 6:32 am
That guy from Big Trouble in Little China would kick ass!!! It would be a stretch but also that guy from Overboard hasn’t had any real meaty roles, he may be good to….
October 31st, 2007 at 8:04 am
As weird as it sounds, why not Kurt Russell? No one said they couldn’t make him a little older and still keep him in the part, even though it is a remake…
October 31st, 2007 at 9:00 am
I’ve always been against remakes. So yeah, why not just do another sequel? (I never saw Escape From LA)
Whoever it is, if this happens, needs to be American. This might be a stretch, but it’d be like if they remade Indiana Jones and had a British actor play the role. This is an American hero.
Only exception would be Christian Bale, who can do anything.
October 31st, 2007 at 9:16 am
OH Dear God!! EFNY was a horrible movie!!! Liked the idea but the acting was terrible…
Thank God a quality actor like Gerard Butler pulled out of the remake. I was skeptical from the beginning of this project. Maybe Mr. Russell will stop all the crying he did when he found out his aging self was not asked to do the sequel.
October 31st, 2007 at 1:00 pm
Prediction:
Gerard Butler +Smokin Joe = WHITE JAZZ
Hmmm….
October 31st, 2007 at 2:56 pm
I’m not sure this is the case, but I think it is… I posted my Gerard Butler prediction on Joe Carnahan’s site and it was DELETED.
Of course I have bad eyesight and, potentially, skipped over my own post. Take it for what you will…
Hmmm….
October 31st, 2007 at 3:18 pm
I can’t wait to see Butlers career crash and burn.
November 1st, 2007 at 6:36 pm
Dan, jealous much?
I’m with Carole. I’m thrilled he passed on this rubbish.