Escape from New York: Radio Silence describes their new film as a “requel”

Radio Silence filmmakers Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett say their take on John Carpenter’s Escape from New York is a requel

In last year’s Scream movie, which came to us from the filmmaking trio known as Radio Silence (directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, producer Chad Villella), there’s a moment where the characters realize the latest iteration of the Ghostface killer is “making a requel”. It breaks down like this: “You can’t just reboot a franchise from scratch anymore, but you can’t just do a straight sequel either. You’ve got to build something new. It’s got to be part of an on-going storyline. New main characters, yes, but supported by and related to legacy characters. Not quite a reboot, not quite a sequel.” Some prefer to term “legacyquel” over “requel”, but in a new interview with ComicBook.com Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett confirmed they’re planning to make an Escape from New York “requel”.

It was announced back in November that Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett are attached to direct a new take on John Carpenter’s 1981 sci-fi action film Escape from New York (watch it HERE). The directors later specified that their Escape from New York is in the early stages of development, but this would not be a remake. Now, when asked by ComicBook.com if the movie will be a requel that will allow Escape from New York and Escape from L.A. star Kurt Russell to return, the directors said: “It’s a great question. I don’t think we know enough about the movie yet to be able to say anything, but yes ‘requel’ is the idea. There’s no way to remake how great that movie is, would be a fool’s errand to try. So, you know, we’ll try to borrow what we love from it and find a new way to put the package together.“

Radio Silence are the latest in a long line of filmmakers who have tried to get a new Escape from New York off the ground. The project has previously passed through the hands of Len Wiseman, Brett Ratner, Breck Eisner, Robert Rodriguez, and Leigh Whannell. The initial announcement said Carpenter was on board to executive produce the film, but he later told Variety that no one had talked to him about it yet.

Scripted by Carpenter and Nick Castle, Escape from New York has the following description:

In a world ravaged by crime, the entire island of Manhattan has been converted into a walled prison where brutal prisoners roam. But when the US president crash-lands inside, only one man can bring him back: notorious outlaw and former Special Forces war hero Snake Plissken. But time is short. In 24 hours, an explosive device implanted in his neck will end Snake’s mission – and his life – unless he succeeds!

Russell was joined in the cast by Donald Pleasence, Isaac Hayes, Adrienne Barbeau, Harry Dean Stanton, Ernest Borgnine, Lee Van Cleef, Tom Atkins, Charles Cyphers, Frank Doubleday, John Strobel, Season Hubley, Nancy Stephens, George Buck Flower, and Ox Baker, with some narration by Jamie Lee Curtis.

Carpenter and Russell wrote Escape from L.A. with Debra Hill, crafting the following story:

In 2013, the United States president is exiling all citizens who don’t conform to his hyper-conservative views to Los Angeles, which became an island after a huge earthquake. But when the president’s daughter nabs the detonator to her dad’s apocalyptic weapon and sneaks into L.A. to be with the rebel leader she loves, the government taps commando-turned-crook Snake Plissken to retrieve the young woman. And, if he doesn’t succeed quickly, he’ll be executed.

Russell was joined in that one by Steve Buscemi, Peter Fonda, Cliff Robertson, Valeria Golino, Stacy Keach, Pam Grier, Bruce Campbell, Georges Corraface, Michelle Forbes, Peter Jason, and A.J. Langer.

Would you like to see Kurt Russell return for Radio Silence’s Escape from New York “requel”? Share your thoughts on this project by leaving a comment below.