Was A 2001 John Carpenter Flop Supposed To Bring Back Kurt Russell's Snake Plissken?

The term "iconic" is often loosely thrown around, but it does encapsulate Kurt Russell's Snake Plissken, who emerges as one of the coolest action heroes in film. Plissken came to life in John Carpenter's brilliant "Escape From New York," and Russell's sincere love for the character propelled its much-anticipated sequel, "Escape from L.A." Although both entries would become cult classics down the line, the critical and commercial failure of "Escape from L.A." at the time of its release failed to justify a third Plissken film, which was titled "Escape from Earth."

The disappointment surrounding the called-off "Escape" sequel is understandable: after all, who wouldn't want Russell's Plissken to return after brandishing the Sword of Damocles, which is the perfect lead-up to an unforgettable space adventure? However, for some reason, a rumor started bubbling about a 2001 Carpenter flick — "Ghosts of Mars" — which was believed to sport a plot repurposed from "Escape from Earth," with stark similarities between Plissken and the film's lead, Desolation Williams (Ice Cube). Is this true at all?

The short answer to this is, no. Film producer Sandra King Carpenter, also wife to John Carpenter, confirmed on Twitter that these rumors are indeed unsubstantiated, even though it has been taken at face value over the years. There are some similarities between "Ghosts of Mars" and what "Escape from Earth" could have been about, but the former diverges from the "Escape" franchise enough to maintain its own eccentric, over-the-top identity. Moreover, "Ghosts of Mars" is more of a weird Western shoot-em-up with pulp horror elements, a film that allowed Carpenter to indulge in mainstream sensibilities that revolve around tongue-in-cheek entertainment and exaggerated camp. 

Let us take a look at what Carpenter himself had to say when asked about this long-circulating rumor.

"Escape from L.A." ends with Plissken using a superweapon, the Sword of Damocles, to wipe out technology on Earth, as he realizes that there is no end to structural-level greed and conflict that fuels the planet's socio-politics. "Welcome to the human race," he quips after lighting a cigarette, setting up the stage for a space adventure in the then-planned sequel. In an interview with FANDOM, Carpenter was asked to describe what "Escape from Earth" would entail if made today, and he stated the following:

"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."

The chances of this premise coming to life are now a distant dream, but Carpenter confirmed in the same interview that the rumors about "Ghosts of Mars" being a repurposed "Escape From Earth" are false. "No, but that's a good story. I like that," the director said, while emphasizing that there is "nobody like Kurt Russell" when asked who could play Plissken in a potential "Escape" franchise reboot. Well, he's not wrong.

But what about the similarities between Plissken and Desolation Williams? Concepts can overlap and seem similar on a superficial level, and some ideas for the thwarted sequel might have unconsciously bled into "Ghosts of Mars." Moreover, Plissken's cultural influence is decidedly grander than that of a police officer on Mars who wears camouflage plants like him: Plissken was an integral inspiration for Solid Snake in Hideo Kojima's "Metal Gear" series and the video game character even uses the alias "Iroquois Pliskin" in "Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty." Now that is real influence.