One of the names that quickly surfaced was Jason Momoa, thanks to his long professional relationship with Snyder and his growing presence in major franchise filmmaking. In a recent interview with ComicBook, however, Momoa made it clear he has little interest in taking on the iconic role.
Jason Momoa Says Kurt Russell Is the Reason He Won’t Play Snake Plissken
When asked about the prospect,Momoa sounded unconvinced not only about taking the role himself, but about the remake altogether.
“Do we need a remake? I even like Escape from L.A.,” Momoa said before turning to the subject of Russell’s portrayal. While he spoke warmly about Snyder, he admitted that his admiration for the original star makes it difficult for him to imagine stepping into the character’s shoes. “I love Kurt Russell,” Momoa said. “I don’t want to. I would never want to step into that.”
The actor went on to explain that the hesitation comes from his affection for both the film and the performer who defined Snake Plissken for generations of moviegoers. He acknowledged that the role would ordinarily be the kind of opportunity many actors would jump at, but added that his respect for Russell outweighs the appeal. “It’s one of those things where you’re like, oh my God, I would love to do that. But at the same time, I’m like, I love him too much,” Momoa said, later wishing “good luck” to whichever actor eventually lands the role.
Momoa also drew a distinction between “Escape from New York” and another famous remake he previously headlined, “Conan the Barbarian.” He explained that he did not grow up attached to the Arnold Schwarzenegger films and instead came to the character through the original Robert E. Howard stories.
“I didn’t grow up with Conan,” he said. “I grew up reading Robert E. Howard. I didn’t grow up with Arnold’s thing. My mom raised me on, like, Gone with the Wind, and Barefoot in the Park, and Hitchcock movies.” For Momoa, the lack of personal attachment made “Conan” a very different proposition from revisiting one of Russell’s most iconic performances.
The latest version of “Escape from New York” represents only the newest chapter in a development journey that stretches back nearly two decades. Various filmmakers, including Len Wiseman, Brett Ratner, Breck Eisner, Robert Rodriguez, and the filmmaking collective Radio Silence, were linked to the property at different points.
Now, with Snyder officially attached and development moving forward once again, attention has returned to the same question that has followed the project since its announcement: who is willing to take on a role that many actors view as nearly impossible to replace?
For now, Momoa has removed himself from that conversation. The actor is already heading into one of the busiest periods of his career, with “Supergirl” arriving this month and “Dune: Part Three” scheduled for release later this year.
