Snake weighs in on remake talk

He is Snake Plissken!

According to Variety, Gerard Butler (300) has signed on to star in the upcoming remake of John Carpenter's Escape From New York.

In a move to capitalize in his new clout and hard-earned physique, Butler would take over the Kurt Russell role of Snake Plissken, the one-eyed convict tasked with heading into the inescapable maximum security prison formerly known as Manhattan to liberate the U.S. president.

Now Kurt has weighed in, none too enthusiastically, here on the project.

"I am Snake Plissken! It's like Sean Connery always watching someone else do their version of Bond."

Good point. Moreover...

" 'I do think that character was quintessentially one thing. And that is, American. ... He's a fascinating character. In fact, he's the most complex character I've ever played,' says Russell."

Snake Plisskin complex?? Then again, Kurt was also Captain Ron and Jack Burton from Big Trouble in Little China. Then again again he's been criminally underrated as an actor going back to The Thing. Though for my money, Miracle, Dreamer and Dark Blue were infinitely more complex.

But he makes another good point about Snake's American tone. He was essentially a cowboy on a Harley. (On a steeeeel horse I riiiiide...!)

I'm actually intrigued by this remake. Dated as it probably is, it's considered a genre classic, I know. And ordinarily I'm against that sort of thing. But the premise is both so over the top and yet so very, very cool, I'll have zero problem buying a ticket to this if handled right.

Word has it, Ken Nolan (Black Hawk Down) will pen the script, too, so they're getting it right on one level already at least.