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NO 'ESCAPE' FROM SNAKE PLISSKEN
Snake Plissken, the anti-hero of MGM's ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK and
Paramount's ESCAPE FROM L.A. is making a multimedia comeback beginning
in the spring.
An anime feature film is in the works for a
2004 release, and Hurricane Entertainment has partnered with director
John Carpenter, producer Debra Hill and actor Kurt Russell to produce a
comic book series, JOHN CARPENTER'S SNAKE PLISSKEN CHRONICLES, which
will debut day and date with MGM Home Entertainment's special edition
DVD of ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK. A preview issue of the magazine is to be
unveiled at this week's ComiCon in San Diego.
In the anime movie, Russell will give voice
to Snake. Carpenter, Russell and Debra Hill will executive produce in
conjunction with a Japanese anime studio.
"We want to take Japanese sensibility and
combine that with Western storytelling," said Hill, who added that
she's speaking with a variety of writers.
Several video game publishers are vying for
rights to Snake, with the first game expected to hit stores in 2004.
Russell, who has said Plissken is his favorite film character, will be
involved in the video game, including doing motion capture and voice
work for the character. Josh Morris and Kevin Cleary of ACME Talent
& Literary are packaging the deals in all media.
"When we made the original film in 1981,
there was no video or DVD or video games," said Hill, who produced
ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK. "I look at the movie industry at large today and
most movies are in some way branded, whether they're spinoffs of a
comic book, video game or novel or a sequel to a film franchise. We've
done two movies, set up a TV series that didn't happen and now want to
relaunch Snake Plissken back into the vernacular of pop culture."
Hill said the team has introduced Snake novels and is also exploring TV opportunities.
"We introduced a lot of legends in the
first two films, and with the comics, novels, video games and anime,
we'll be able to explore some of these things," she said. "How did
Snake lose his eye? What happened in the Battle of Cleveland or at the
Battle of Leningrad? What is New Las Vegas? We'll explore these stories
as well as introduce new stories."
Thanks to the Hollywood Reporter
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