THE NAME’S PLISSKEN
Article by Adam Mast
It’s been a while since we’ve heard any news about that ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK reboot, and quite frankly, the lack of talk had me giddy because I thought the project was dead. I say, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it and ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK ain’t broke! Of course, that’s the movie snob in me. I have a serious attachment to this flick and it just happens to be one of those properties I wish Hollywood would leave alone.
Sadly, news regarding an updated version of the John Carpenter masterwork has resurfaced in the form of potential Snake Plissken casting choices.As fans recall, Kurt Russell played the iconic badass anti-hero in the 1981 original and he went on the reprise the role in the less than stellar 1996 follow-up, ESCAPE FROM L.A.
Who’s on the current Snake Plissken wish list;
CHARLIE HUNNAM
There’s no doubt that Charlie Hunnam is a rising star. In addition to appearing in the popular t.v series SONS OF ANARCHY, Hunnam was hand picked by director Guillermo del Toro to headline the polorizing PACIFIC RIM (for the record, I loved it!) If this ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK reboot does happen, it’s going to be difficult for Hunnam to fit it into his schedule, particularly with PACIFIC RIM 2 on the horizon.
CHARLIE HUNNAM
There’s no doubt that Charlie Hunnam is a rising star. In addition to appearing in the popular t.v series SONS OF ANARCHY, Hunnam was hand picked by director Guillermo del Toro to headline the polorizing PACIFIC RIM (for the record, I loved it!) If this ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK reboot does happen, it’s going to be difficult for Hunnam to fit it into his schedule, particularly with PACIFIC RIM 2 on the horizon.
DAN STEVENS
Dan Stevens is most known for his work on DOWNTON ABBEY but people are going to look at this actor in an entirely new light when they see him in next month’s Adam Wingard thriller, THE GUEST. Stevens oozes charisma in this throwback to 80’s actioneers, and while he’s certainly got the attitude, I’m still not feeling it.
JON BERNTHAL
It could be argued that THE WALKING DEAD lost a lot of it’s intensity after Jon Bernthal left the series. Of the recent names mentioned for Snake Plissken, Bernthal seems the most equipped to pull this role off. Still, that’s a faint endorsement at best. I love Bernthal (he was great in THE WOLF OF WALL STREET and he was one of the very few bright spots in GRUDGE MATCH), but I still can’t get behind any of this.
Re-casting Snake Plissken would be like re-casting Indiana Jones. Kurt Russell is Snake Plissken and he always will be Snake Plissken. I’d much rather see Carpenter go off and make ESCAPE FROM EARTH then to have someone new come in a reboot a film that is clearly a picture perfect product of its time. If you have to bring Snake back, you need to bring Kurt Russell back to play him! He’s only 63. He’s got plenty of ass kicking ability left in him.
Hunnam, Bernthal, and Stevens are fine actors. In fact, Bernthal and Stevens in particular, show a kind of fiery intensity that most action stars should have. Still, I’d rather see them play new characters. Give them their own world to play in. Leave Manhattan alone.
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