In replacing Kurt Russell as Snake Plissken, the forthcoming Escape From New York remake faces a near-impossible recasting search. Russell was once best known as the teen star of Disney movies like The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes, but his role as dangerous convict Snake Plissken in 1981's Escape From New reinvented his screen image. In the John Carpenter-directed movie, Plissken is given 24 hours to rescue the President from New York, which has been turned into a prison. Russell beat out other candidates like Charles Bronson for the park while channeling a little Clint Eastwood in his speech and mannerisms.

He returned for belated sequel Escape From L.A., but a planned third movie called Escape From Earth didn't happen. After years in development hell, an Escape From New York remake is finally coming together from helmers Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett. While their exact approach is unknown, Russell has said many times he doesn't want to play Snake as an old man, so he almost certainly won't return. That leaves the Escape From New York - which JJ Abrams helped in post-production - remake in a tough spot. No other actors have played Plissken and Russell is so iconic in the part it's hard to picture any actor matching up.

Kurt Russell's Snake Plissken Requirement


An Escape From New York remake has gone through many actors and directors, with Dan Stevens and Charlie Hunnam being linked to Snake Plissken over the years. Gerard Butler was attached for a period in the late 2000s too, but this choice seemingly didn't meet Russell's approval. Speaking to IGN in 2014, he revealed what he felt was a core tenet of Snake: "Well, the one thing that I can tell you that I know about Snake, and the Snake Plissken world that I know, is that he's very American."

He expanded further, stating "There's a reason that's a baseball bat with nails. It's not a soccer ball." To Russell, Escape From New York's Plissken is a character born out of American mythology, so casting an actor of a different nationality would fundamentally change that. Carpenter - who made many movies with Russell - himself has also commented on Snake being a reaction to the post-Vietnam era. While Russell feels strongly about this, the studio behind the next Escape From New York will probably be more flexible. It would be intriguing to see Russell appear in the film as either Hauk or the President, but he would likely decline if offered.

Who Could Play Snake Plissken In The Escape From New York Remake


There's no release date set for Escape From New York, but with its filmmakers busy on Scream 6, it's at least a couple of years away. The casting of Plissken will make or break the project for many, but finding the modern equivalent of Russell won't be easy. The formally attached helmer Leigh Whannell once suggested the actor's son Wyatt, but while there is an uncanny resemblance, The Falcon And The Winter Soldier actor ruled him out of the running, claiming that would be a career killer for him.

Previous actors linked to the role like The Punisher's Jon Bernthal or Timothy Olyphant could still be solid choices, though Jason Momoa feels like a prime candidate. The actor has yet to front a major franchise outside of Aquaman and has shown a talent for anti-hero roles such as Conan or Game Of Thrones' Khal Drago. The filmmakers might completely reinvent Snake too, possibly offering a gender-flipped fronted by the likes of Charlize Theron or even Samara Weaving from Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler's own Ready Or Not. Whoever does take the role in Escape From New York will have a big responsibility to bring the legendary screen outlaw back to life.