Radio Silence, the creators of the previously announced follow-up project Escape From New York, says the film will be a sequel, not a reboot.
Scream VI creators Tyler Gillett, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Chad Villella are preparing a new take on a legendary franchise with a sequel to Escape from New York, with the trio confirming the continuation of the original film and not a reboot. John Carpenter’s 1981 classic starring Kurt Russell as Snake Plissken, a soldier-turned-criminal on a mission to rescue the President of the United States, became a pop culture staple following its release and remains one of the top action films best-loved ever made although the 1996 sequel Escape From LA failed to match the popularity of the original.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly about Scream VI, the three filmmakers revealed more information about their upcoming project, clarifying that the film will be a sequel to Escape from New York and not a reboot of the cinematic universe. Gillett shared his respect for the 1981 film, comparing their plans to what they’ve done with the Scream franchise.
“Not a remake. It’s one of those properties that you can’t [remake], he’s kind of untouchable to us and living in his own stratosphere in terms of how important he is to us and how much we love him. So it’s going to be kind of a Scream, I think, a nod and continuation of what we love about these characters and this world. »
What we know about the aftermath of the New York escape
Attempts have been made to recapture the magic of Escape From New York, but perhaps the only thing that can stand a chance is a faithful sequel. Before the trio’s filmmaking collective Radio Silence stepped in, many attempts had been made to bring the franchise back to life. Luther creator Neil Cross was tapped to write a reboot just two years after plans were announced for a prequel trilogy. In 2017 it was rumored that Robert Rodriguez would take over. Three years later, in 2020, Leigh Whannell was next to try. Of course, none of these plans came to fruition, but it seems this new attempt is the strongest push yet.
Prior to EW’s interview, little information was public about the project. What was known was that Gillett, Bettinelli and Villella were helming the production with Carpenter on board as executive producer. This new batch of information actually adds some context to the trio’s plans. The decision to make it a sequel and not a full reboot presents a lot of fun possibilities, perhaps even a return of Plissken, one of Kurt Russell’s most recognizable roles. The project is still in the early stages of development, though a script isn’t expected until early 2023.
Now that their work on Scream VI is coming to a close, Radio Silence has made it clear that their next goal will be to create the legendary sequel to Escape From New York. Only time will tell if this is the sequel that finally breaks through and enters further stages of development, but with the hopes of a new addition to the franchise and not a complete reboot of the original anti-hero story, it’s good news. .
