It might not come as a surprise to you that some internet denizens are not exactly overjoyed with the idea of a remake of the 1981 John Carpenter classic Escape From New York. It's the latest attempt to remake the classic sci-fi flick, this time with Zack Snyder on board to direct.
I get it. I love the movie, too, and I understand why people don’t see any reason for this classic starring Kurt Russell (maybe his best collab with Carpenter) ever to be remade. Still, if I’m honest, some of the reactions are pretty over the top. Here are a few comments I’ve found in the days since the remake was first announced.
The Director Is Taking Some Heat
Zack Snyder is a polarizing director. Some love his work and have gone so far as to put forth a massive campaign that lasted for years to release “The Snyder Cut” of Justice League. That worked, and his fans love it. Others are, let’s just say, less enthusiastic about the director taking a swing at Escape from New York. Redditor r/JWitjes commented:
Zack Snyder directing Escape from New York, now there's a true horror story.
Another Redditor, appropriately named r/CancelThis2077 wrote:
How creatively bankrupt is Hollywood that Escape from NY needs a remake, and that Zack Snyder would be the one to direct it?
Synder directing wasn't the only news that fans of the OG movie took aim at though.
Kurt Russell Can't Be Replaced As Snake Plissken
There is no question that Kurt Russell's Snake Plissken is one of the best sci-fi characters of all time. He's a man of action and few words (and even fewer working eyeballs). Many fans say he just can't be replaced by anyone in the role. X user @RealBSP3, commenting on a post by @Nerdcognito, wrote:
Nobody has Kurt Russell energy.I'm not going to try to watch someone else fill his shoes.Highlander is pushing it. This is over the edge.June 13, 2026
He wasn't alone, of course. Redditor r/Suitable_Community66 wrote:
Kurt Russell is simply irreplaceable in this role.
Many critics of the idea of an Escape from New York remake simply don't like the idea of remaking classics
Why Mess Up A Classic?
Finally, the last group of people unhappy with the idea are people who love the movie and think a remake would only flop, or worse, tarnish the reputation of the original. Responding to the news on X, @jordanjabroni summed it up pretty simply:
This is quite possibly the worst news ever. https://t.co/jgEkvYhRzfJune 1, 2026
Another post on X responding to the news had a harsh take not just on the Escape from New York remake, but on all remakes:
IMO the only purposes for these reboots is to nullify the originals. Sure some are good, but judging by the Disney / Netflix / Amazon stuff it's generally a twisted version of something people love so they can become hostile or at least indifferent to it ...skeptical lolJune 13, 2026
That was hardly the only similar thought on the idea of remaking movies:
Don't remake masterpieces, you idiots. Remake movies that had a good story or idea but were botched by the director / producer / studio.April 13, 2026
If you don’t love the idea either, keep in mind that over the years there have been multiple attempts at remaking or rebooting Escape From New York. Robert Rodriguez was tapped to remake the movie about a decade ago, but it never came to be. Looking back through the CinemaBlend archives, there have been multiple announcements going back to the early 2010s hyping up remakes, and none have come to fruition.
Will Zack Snyder be the one to break this curse? Time will tell. We're certainly not going to see it on the 2026 movie schedule, or the 2027 schedule for that matter. In the meantime, you can rewatch the original with a Prime subscription, which is what I plan to do.
