Filmmaking trio Radio Silence, which is comprised of Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett, and Chad Villella, have revealed (via EW) that their planned Escape from New York project is not a remake. Instead, the movie will much in the same vein as their recent Scream movie, which simultaneously rebooted the franchise while sticking to previously established canon.

This likely means that no one else will be brought into play the iconic action hero Snake Plissken. Played with aplomb by Kurt Russell, the original Escape from New York was co-written, co-scored, and directed by John Carpenter, and introduces audiences to Russell as ex-soldier and current federal prisoner Snake Plissken. Given just 24 hours to rescue the President of the United States, who has crashed landed in Manhattan, which is now a giant maximum-security prison, Escape from New York is now considered a cult classic, with many balking at the idea of a remake. A reaction clearly shared by Radio Silence.

“Not a remake. That’s one of those properties that you can’t [remake], it’s sort of untouchable to us, and lives in its own stratosphere in terms of how important it is to us, and how much we love it. So it’ll be not unlike Scream, I think, a nod to, and a continuation of, what we love about those characters and that world.”

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The filmmaking threesome also offered an update on where they are in the development stage. Which is “very early.”

So, what will this sequel/revival/reboot (requel?) to Escape from New York involve? Will audiences get to see Kurt Russell back as aged Snake? Why would someone need to escape from New York all over again? Let the theories and speculation begin.

“We’re very excited to be working with 20th Century on that. We’re developing our take, and hopefully, it will be going to script sometime in the New Year, and just really starting to lay the groundwork for that. But very early stages.”

Will Kurt Russell’s Son, Wyatt, be Added to the Sequel?

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There has been much speculation over who would be able to take over the role of Snake Plissken from Kurt Russell, and one name that comes up a lot is that of his son, Wyatt. A casting choice that has already been backed by director John Carpenter.

While Wyatt Russell has rejected the idea saying, “Although that’s very kind of you, that will not be happening. There will be no Snake reboot from me, that’s like career suicide 101. That’s like what not to do. I don’t know if anybody else could be Snake Plissken,” now that we know that this new take on Escape from New York will be a sequel rather than a reboot, could there be another different role for Wyatt Russell?

For now, Radio Silence are busy bringing the slasher classic, Scream, back to screens with Scream VI. Taking Ghostface out of Woodsboro and dropping him into New York City, Scream VI is set to be released in the United States on March 10, 2023, by Paramount Pictures.