Rodriguez to Direct “Escape From New York” Remake

Robert Rodriguez is preparing for his big Escape

The 48-year-old Mexican American filmmaker will direct Escape From New York, the remake of John Carpenter’s iconic 1981 film for 20th Century Fox.

Robert Rodriguez

The studio won a bidding battle for rights to the reboot in early 2015, with Andrew Rona and Alex Heineman’s The Picture Company set to produce.

Neil Cross is penning the script.

The original was released by Avco Embassy, and the rights were owned by Studiocanal. Carpenter will be an executive producer and have a big say in the tone of the project. Fox’s Mike Ireland, who brought in the movie, will oversee for the studio. The hope is to reinvent the property with an eye toward launching a Planet Of The Apes-like franchise.

The deal cements the relationship with Rodriguez and Fox; the director just helmed the studio’s Alita: Battle Angel, the film based on Yukito Kishiro’s manga graphic novels that was written by James Cameron and Laeta Kalogridis. Set in a 26th century dystopian future, the film follows the story of an amnesiac cyborg who, after being rescued from a scrap heap by a doctor, becomes a bounty hunter tracking down criminals. Rosa Salazar and Christoph Waltz star in the film, which has a July 20, 2018 release date mapped out.

The cynical original Escape From New York, hatched by Carpenter after the Watergate scandal, was set in a futuristic Gotham circa 1997. Kurt Russell played Snake Plissken, an eyepatch-sporting tough guy who is conscripted to rescue the President of the United States after Air Force One — en route to a summit that could head off World War III — goes missing after it crashes in New York, which has been relegated to a maximum security prison. Plissken, a former special forces operative convicted of trying to rob the Federal Reserve, is given 22 hours to liberate the president and a tape he carries which holds the key to peace. If he fails, he’s wired to explode.

Rodriguez and Carpenter have collaborated before. Rodriguez’s El Rey Network last fall announced the launch of The People’s Network Showcase, a series of specials featuring short films from emerging indie filmmakers. Carpenter hosted the premiere episode, The People’s Network Showcase: Horror Edition.

González to Star in Robert Rodriguez’s “Alita: Battle Angel” for Fox

Eiza González is ready for Battle

The 26-year-old Mexican actress/singer has been cast in Fox’s Alita: Battle Angel, the Robert Rodriguez-directed film based on Yukito Kishiro’s popular manga graphic novels.

Eiza González

Set in a 26th-century dystopian future, the film follows the story of an amnesiac cyborg who, after being rescued from a scrap heap by a doctor, becomes a bounty hunter tracking down criminals.

James Cameron will co-write the script with Laeta Kalogridis.

Cameron will also produce alongside Jon Landau as the film is set for release in July 2018.

This marks the second collaboration between Rodriguez and González, who co-stars in his El Rey Network series From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series.

She can next be seen in Edgar Wright’s Baby Driver, which Sony will release March 2017.

Salazar to Star in Robert Rodriguez’s “Battle Angel Alita”

Rosa Salazar is ready for battle… 

The 30-year-old Latina actress and Maze Runner star will star in Battle Angel Alita, an adaptation of the popular Manga by Yukito Kishiro being produced by James Cameron and directed by Robert Rodriguez.

Rosa Salazar

Set in the 26th century, the story follows an amnesiac female cyborg rescued from a scrapyard and rebuilt. Possessing no memories of her life before being rebuilt but retaining an impressive set of fighting skills, she becomes a bounty hunter while seeking to discover more about her past.

Salazar has previously appeared in Insurgent, Maze Runner: The Scorch Trialsand FX’s Man Seeking Woman among other credits.