Robert Rodriguez in talks to direct new 'Escape From New York'

Filmmaker Robert Rodriguez is in negotiations to direct the remake of 1980s cult classic "Escape From New York".

John Carpenter, who directed and co-wrote the original, is executive producing the project, which is targeting a production start later this year, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The original was set in a futuristic Gotham circa 1997.

Kurt Russell played Snake Plissken, an eyepatch-sporting tough guy who is conscripted to rescue the President of the United States after Air Force One en route to a summit that could head off World War III goes missing after it crashes in New York, which has been relegated to a maximum security prison.

Plissken, a former special forces operative convicted of trying to rob the Federal Reserve, is given 22 hours to liberate the president and a tape he carries which holds the key to peace. If he fails, he is wired to explode.

(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)