Is Escape from Earth from John Carpenter Releasing In 2024? New Movie Rumors Explained

By Richard Nebens Posted:
Kurt Russell in Escape from LA

Rumors are teasing John Carpenter's return to the big screen in 2024 with the reported Escape from New York sequel Escape from Earth.

Escape from Earth Poster Appears Online

A fan-made poster for an alleged movie titled Escape from Earth, directed by John Carpenter, is making the rounds on Facebook and going viral on movie pages across the internet.

The poster shows Escape from New York and Escape from L.A.'s Kurt Russell reprising his iconic role of Snake Plissken, complete with a leather jacket and eye patch, as he stands in front of an image of the Earth under the film's title card.

Escape from Earth poster, Kurt Russell
Escape from Earth poster

Along with the poster came a synopsis for the supposed film, which teases Carpenter and Russell's returns along with a July 2024 release timeframe.

Speaking with Fandom in February 2022, Carpenter explained a potential idea for a film like Escape from Earth, teasing Snake Plissken "in a space capsule, flying interstellar:"

"Depends on the story. 'Escape from Earth' was kind of Snake Plissken in a space capsule, flying interstellar. So there’d be a lot of special effects in it. Which I never care about too much. But that’s what it would look like."

Following Escape from LA, Russell refused to return to the role, with Carpenter noting that the actor "[felt] like that's a young man's role."

Addressing the question of who could take over for Russell, Carpenter plainly stated, "Look, there's nobody. There's nobody like Kurt Russell."

This led to the idea of having Russell's son Wyatt take over for him, especially with Wyatt Russell now becoming a major star in the MCU with his role as John Walker. This was an idea that garnered Carpenter's approval.

Unfortunately, the viral poster can be debunked as fake, as there have been reports confirming Escape from Earth is in development.

Will Escape from Earth Happen?

At this point, Escape from Earth appears to be off the table for production, especially considering John Carpenter hasn't directed a movie since 2010's The Ward.

As for Kurt Russell, he remains busy in Hollywood nearly 30 years after leaving Snake Plissken behind.

After teaming up with his son Wyatt for their first joint project, Apple TV+'s Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, Kurt Russell now preps for the release of Andrew Patterson's The Rivals of Amizah King, in which he stars alongside Matthew McConaughey.

Wyatt is also preparing for his return to the big screen, taking on his second appearance as the U.S. Agent in the MCU in 2025's Thunderbolts as the new film prepares to begin filming.

Should Escape from Earth ever come to be, it likely will not be any time soon, and it may be in a completely new form without either Russell or Carpenter involved whatsoever.

- About The Author: Richard Nebens
Richard Nebens joined The Direct in March 2020, now serving as the site's Senior Writer and also working as an assistant editor and content creator. He started his journalism career as a hobby in 2019 and is passionate about sharing news and stories from the entertainment industry, especially comic book movies, comedy, and sci-fi. Richard looks to expand his knowledge about movies and TV every day, and he is eager to stay locked into the latest releases and breaking news at every opportunity.