Robert Rodriguez is in negotiations to direct Escape From New York, 20th Century Fox’s remake of the 1980s cult classic that starred Kurt Russell.
Andrew Rona and Alex Heineman of The Picture Co. are producing the feature, which the studio is hoping to launch as a franchise in the same mold of its Planet of the Apes series.
The original 1981 movie was set in a future (then 1997) where Manhattan had been turned into an island-sized maximum-security prison. When the president of the United States crashes into the decaying city, an outlaw is coerced into traveling inside to rescue him.
Neil Cross, the creator of the BBC crime series Luther, wrote the script.
John Carpenter, who directed and co-wrote the original, is executive producing the project, which is targeting a production start later this year.
Michael Ireland is overseeing.
With the Escape deal, Fox is doubling down on Rodriguez, who is coming off of directing Alita: Battle Angel for the studio. The sci-fi movie is an adaptation of the popular manga and is being produced by James Cameron. Rosa Salazar leads a cast that includes Mahershala Ali and Christoph Waltz. Alita: Battle Angel is set to open July 20, 2018.
