'He literally has been hitting me up': a DCEU regular is lobbying Zack Snyder to be his Snake Plissken
Zack Snyder’s just teased a familiar DCEU face lobbying for Escape from New York’s reboot — and hints he’s found someone to take over Kurt Russell’s iconic role.
Let's talk about Zack Snyder's crack at rebooting Escape from New York. If you've been wondering who'll fill Kurt Russell's admittedly massive boots as Snake Plissken, you're not alone. Snyder himself has been dropping hints, sometimes outright teased, but as usual he keeps the cards fairly close to his chest. On the Happy Sad Confused podcast with Josh Horowitz, Snyder dropped enough breadcrumbs to get the rumour mill whirring.
Who's Eyeing Snake Plissken?
The short version: at least one familiar face from Snyder's DCEU days is properly hustling for the Snake gig. Josh Horowitz tried to squeeze it out of Snyder, asking if he'd found his Plissken yet. Snyder's answer? Not a no, not a yes, just 'I may.' When Horowitz asked if it's someone from Snyder's previous films, Zack didn't take the bait. But then came the name everyone had been waiting for: Jeffrey Dean Morgan.
Horowitz mentioned an earlier conversation where Morgan said he's been pestering Snyder for the chance to play Snake (or just to get in on whatever Snyder's cooking up next). Snyder, for his part, had plenty of good to say about Morgan:
He literally has been hitting me up recently. He's the best; I love him. Jeffrey’s great. He’s so strong.
If you've somehow missed it, Morgan's history with Snyder goes right back to Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, where Morgan played Thomas Wayne in the film's opening. Of course, Morgan's no stranger to comic book adaptations, cropping up as The Comedian in Watchmen, Franklin Clay in The Losers, and even Jeb Turnbull in Jonah Hex. The man's got a type – tough bloke with a hint of mischief, which is about right for Snake Plissken, let's be honest.
Read more: Zack Snyder has sold his Fountainhead series twice — both buyers backed out within a week
Snyder's Escape from New York: What's Actually Happening?
So, what do we *actually* know about how Snyder's revamp of Escape from New York is shaping up? He's both writing and directing the film, which, frankly, shouldn't shock anyone at this point. The original, for anyone short on cinema homework, was a 1981 John Carpenter classic with Kurt Russell at his absolute coolest.
Snyder told Horowitz that his version will play with timelines a little: although it's set in 1997, the key conflict between America's police and its criminal underworld will be waged in 1981—a deliberate nod to when the original hit cinemas. Beyond that, Snyder promised that pretty much everything else is sticking to the bone: action, antihero attitude, plus what he calls 'the perfect combination of kitsch and camp'. But that's not the whole story; he also talked up the satire angle, saying it'll let him comment on modern issues like government overreach, which, he pointed out, hasn't exactly left the headlines in decades.
For all that, don't expect any solid info on the rest of the cast or crew yet. Snyder's keeping that bit proper secret for now.
This new version is set in 1997, but the on-screen war will be staged in 1981—mirroring the original's release year.