Escape From New York: The Official Story of the Film Book Announced

Escape From New York is getting an official book that will detail the production and impact of the cult classic film. Directed by horror icon John Carpenter, Escape From New York was released in 1981 to positive reception. Over the years, the film has grown to become a classic 80s sci-fi film that has inspired a generation of directors, including Robert Rodriguez and JJ Abrams. Set in a dystopian 1997, Escape From New York takes place in a United States that has seen a 400% increase in crime, prompting the US government to turn the island of Manhattan into a prison.

Kurt Russell stars as Snake Plissken, a former Special Forces soldier set to be imprisoned in New York. When the president's plane is hijacked and crashes in the city, Plissken is tasked with going in and rescuing him. If successful, Plissken could receive a presidential pardon and the former soldier sets off into the city in the hopes of saving the president and securing his own freedom. In the years since its release, Escape From New York has proven to be an influential dystopian film and this new book will dive deep into everything fans want to know about the film.

Titan Books will release Escape From New York: The Official Story of the Film on September 28 in honor of the film's 40th anniversary. Written by filmmaker and author John Walsh, the book will detail the production of the blockbuster with new interviews with members of the cast and crew. The book will also discuss Escape From New York's impact on the industry and show off new art, giving fans "exclusive insight into every aspect" of the movie.

Escape From New York is a revered classic and although its sequel, Escape From LA, was derided as a less-than-stellar follow-up, the original film remains beloved by fans. A remake of Escape From New York has been in the works for years, but it has yet to get off the ground despite interest from multiple parties. It certainly could be a huge success if done right and with Carpenter giving his blessing, there's likely a lot of pressure to make sure it's properly done.

With this latest book, the Escape From New York remake could potentially gain new traction after The Invisible Man director Leigh Whannell was last attached to the film in 2019. Whannel even suggested Russell's son, Wyatt Russell, play Snake Plissken, although the actor has said that he wouldn't take on the role. Either way, Escape From New York remains an iconic 80s blockbuster and the book celebrating its 40th anniversary will be a treat for longtime fans curious to know more about the film.

Here's how a young J.J. Abrams and his father helped shape Escape From New York. John Carpenter was hot off the success of Halloween - which helped kickstart the slasher movie boom of the 1980s - and The Fog when he directed Escape From New York. This action thriller finds Kurt Russell's outlaw Snake Plissken forced to break into New York, which has been converted in the movie's bleak dystopian future into a walled-off prison, to rescue the kidnapped President. The movie was a solid hit at the time and would help launch Russell's career.