Zack Snyder’s New Cult Sci-Fi Film Remake Can Repeat His Best Movie Ever

Zack Snyder is one of the most divisive directors working today, and while his filmography has caused a lot of debate online, he could be returning to his most critically acclaimed film with the announcement of this upcoming sci-fi remake. Snyder’s first feature film was 2004’s Dawn of the Dead, with the successful zombie movie launching his career. Snyder quickly made a name for himself as a comic book movie director with his second film, 2006’s 300, sending him down a path that would lead him to become one of today’s most well-known directors.

Snyder’s third film was 2009’s Watchmen, with him finally getting to helm the movie adaptation of one of the most beloved comic series of all time. While Watchmen is divisive, it received mostly positive reception, which undoubtedly helped him land his most iconic film: Man of Steel. Snyder directed the first film in the DCEU, and while he didn’t direct all of the franchise’s films, he was the creative at the forefront of the series. All of Snyder’s DCEU films were divisive, and after the DCU’s reboot, he went on to make original films like Army of the Dead and Rebel Moon. Now, however, Snyder is returning to the world of franchises.

Zack Snyder Is Remaking John Carpenter’s Escape From New York

It was just reported that Zack Snyder will direct a remake of Escape from New York, the iconic 1981 sci-fi film from director John Carpenter. The original film is set in a dystopian world where the entirety of Manhattan has been walled off and turned into a massive open-air prison. One day, Air Force One crash-lands into the Manhattan prison complex, leaving the president in danger. So, Kurt Russell’s Snake Plissken is tasked with going into the prison, rescuing the prison, and escaping New York.

Escape from New York is dark, gritty, and super stylized, making Snyder a perfect choice to take the material on. Snyder is set to direct, write, and produce the film, while Carpenter will be involved in an executive producer role. There were talks of a remake of the film back in 2007, with directors like Robert Rodriguez and Leigh Whannell being involved at times. However, Snyder’s version seems to be the one that is finally materializing, with him calling the upcoming project a “reimagining” of Carpenter’s classic.

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Dawn Of The Dead Is Snyder’s Best Movie (& It’s A Remake Too)

Although Snyder is divisive, everyone should be excited about the director’s Escape from New York remake. Snyder’s adaptations of iconic source materials like Watchmen and Superman have been divisive, but his takes on lesser-known IP like 300 and Guardians of Ga’Hoole have been acclaimed. Escape from New York definitely fits the latter group more than the former, giving Snyder a better chance of success. However, Escape from New York is also a remake, much like Snyder’s best film, Dawn of the Dead.

2004’s Dawn of the Dead is a remake George A. Romero’s 1978 masterpiece of the same name. Despite being a remake of a classic zombie movie, Snyder’s Dawn of the Dead is fantastic, mostly because the source material fits him. Snyder takes the basic concept of people stuck in a mall during a zombie outbreak and puts his own spin on it, including morally questionable characters, slow-motion, and fast zombies. The film feels more practical and grounded than Snyder’s later works, and it gives a greater focus to the character arcs, causing Dawn of the Dead to avoid the pitfalls of some of Snyder’s later films.

If Escape from New York is anything like Dawn of the Dead, then fans of Snyder could be in for a treat. Luckily, this comparison is already being made. The THR report that broke this story claims that Snyder is making a “more down and dirty movie, using plenty of practical effects or locations like he did when he remade Dawn of the Dead.” This is a great sign, as some of these elements are what made the 2004 remake so good.

Snyder’s movie will never replace Carpenter’s Escape from New York, so it shouldn’t try. Instead, the remake should take a similar approach to 2004’s Dawn of the Dead, taking the basic premise while throwing in new story elements and Snyder’s signature style. Even if it isn’t perfect, this big swing will result in a much more interesting movie than a beat-for-beat remake. After all, there’s no point in getting a stylized director like Snyder just to make a movie that’s already been made.

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