Kurt Russell Wrote Escape From L.A.'s Most Meta Moment Himself

John Carpenter's 1996 film "Escape from L.A." takes place in the far-flung future of 2013 after a massive Earthquake struck Los Angeles and turned the city into an island. A right-wing theocratic president has enacted many bleak, draconian "morality" laws about sex and violence, and anyone caught breaking the new laws is deported to L.A. Island to live in a lawless, unguarded realm ruled by gangsters. When the president's daughter runs away to L.A. to be with her criminal boyfriend, Cuervo Jones (Georges Corraface), the rogue gunslinger Snake Plissken (Kurt Russell) is extorted into going to L.A. to rescue her. Snake has no choice, as the government infected him with a virus that will kill him in 10 hours, and will only administer the antidote if he completes his mission. 

The premise and structure of "Escape from L.A." is identical to 1981's "Escape from New York," making the film just as much a remake as it is a sequel. Carpenter's fans are mixed about "L.A.," with some disliking the repetition, and others enjoying its somewhat corny adventure story. The film climaxes with Snake, Steve Buscemi, and Pam Grier dropping bombs on Disneyland from hang gliders, so it couldn't possibly be a total wash. 

John Carpenter wrote "New York" with his longtime collaborator, producer Debra Hill. On "L.A.," the pair share a writing credit with Russell. It is Russell's only writing credit to date. It seems that he was passionate about the project and was eager to play Snake again after 15 years away. 

In 2022, Carpenter talked with Forbes about his long film career, his possible retirement, and the crucial final scene of "Escape from L.A." that Russell wrote himself.

The big MacGuffin of "Escape from L.A." is a remote control that can activate a satellite-based electromagnetic pulse (EMP) device that can shut down a whole country's electronic devices instantaneously. The president's daughter has stolen the remote, and Snake later learns, much to his grumpiness, that he must also retrieve the device. The corrupt president intends to use the remote to shut down America's enemies, but Snake doesn't much give a damn. When Snake finally escapes L.A. and confronts the president, he refuses to hand over the remote. Instead, he enters a special code that will shut down every nation on the planet. Snake intentionally brings about the technological apocalypse.

As the lights go out, Snake lights a cigarette. He stares at his match for a moment. He then looks right at the camera and addresses the audience. "Welcome to the human race," he says. 

The interviewer at Forbes wondered if that was Snake saying something idly to himself, or if he was indeed breaking the fourth wall. Carpenter clarified it was the latter and that it was all Russell's idea. The director said:

"He is breaking the fourth wall. He's doing what you're not supposed to do as an actor; it's transgression. [...] That was Kurt['s idea]. It was something he desperately wanted to do. He also did it in that Tarantino movie, 'Death Proof.' [...] [H]e was committed. He had so much fun with that. He loved doing it." 

If Snake Plissken is indeed a badass nihilist, he wouldn't draw the line at ending the world. F*** everything, Snake says. It's true to his character. Russell knew it. 

According to Carpenter, "Escape from L.A." was largely Russell's idea. In 1996, he seemed eager to look back on his career and reassess the roles he liked best, and Snake Plissken emerged. Carpenter is hardly a sentimental filmmaker, so it took Russell's enthusiasm to get him excited for a second go-round. When asked why Russell wanted to co-write the film, Carpenter said: 

"It was his passion for the character and his love for the world we had created. It was a world that I left behind, but he rekindled it, and he rekindled my own love for it. [...] I don't know exactly what it was, but I think he just wanted to revisit it and relive it. I don't know if he wanted to change anything, but he enjoyed playing that character, and I think that was the big thing." 

Indeed, Carpenter and Russell were so enthused about "Escape from L.A." that there was an immediate plan to follow it up with a third Snake Plissken movie called "Escape from Earth." Carpenter noted in a 2022 interview with Movieweb that "Escape from Earth" was to pick up right where "Escape from L.A." left off, with Snake having just activated the global EMP. He would then board a spaceship and look for a new home on another planet. "'Escape from Earth' was kind of Snake Plissken in a space capsule, flying interstellar," Carpenter said, "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." 

As of this writing, Russell is only 73 and Carpenter is only 76. It could still happen.