Escape from New York is a 1981 science fiction/action film directed and scored by John Carpenter. He also co-wrote the screenplay with Nick Castle. The film is set in the near future of a United States so crime-ridden that Manhattan Island in New York City has become a maximum security prison. Ex-soldier and legendary fugitive "Snake" Plissken (Kurt Russell) is given 24 hours to find the President of the United States, who has been captured by inmates after Air Force One crashed on the island.

Carpenter originally wrote the film in the mid-1970s as a reaction to the Watergate scandal, but no studio wanted to make it because it was deemed too dark and violent. After the success of Halloween, he had enough influence to get the film made and shot most of it in St. Louis, Missouri, where significant portions of the city were used in the place of New York City.

The film's total budget was estimated to be USD $7 million. It was a commercial hit, grossing over $50 million worldwide. It has since developed its own cult following, particularly around the anti-hero Plissken. A sequel, Escape from L.A., was released in 1996. On March 13, 2007, a remake of the original film was announced tentatively with actor Gerard Butler set to play Plissken with Len Wiseman to direct. Both have since dropped out of the project.

A condemned criminal and former war hero is offered his freedom if he can rescue the President of the United States from the walled prison island of Manhattan after a terrorist brings down the President's plane in this futuristic adventure. Written by Keith Loh

The year is 1998. Due to huge crime rates, the United States turns its once great city of New York into a maximum security prison where hardcore criminals are put for life. All the bridges leading into the city are mined, a large wall is built along the shoreline and a large police force army is based there to stop or kill any attempted escapees. En route to a conference, the President, on board Air Force One, is forced to eject in a pod when a female terrorist takes over the controls and crashes the plane into a building. A new prisoner, ex-soldier Snake Plissken is offered his freedom if he goes in, frees the President and finds a tape with important information for the conference. Snake agrees but to ensure his co-operation he is injected with a small but powerful explosive that will only be destroyed if his mission is successful. Snake must set out into the decaying city, filled with immoral criminals, and he must succeed - for his own life. Written by Lee Horton

In 1988, the U.S. turned Manhattan, New York into a maximum security prison where the most brutal criminals are residing for life, due to the 400% rise in crime rates. There's no way for them to escape, as the bridges are filled with mines, a large wall is built around the shoreline, and a police force army is based there to take out any attempted escapees. In 1997, Air Force One is hijacked, so the president escapes in a pod, landing in Manhattan. Ex-special forces war hero/bank robber Snake Plissken is offered his freedom if he can rescue the president, who was on his way to a Hartford Summit meeting as well as a cassette tape (CDs weren't around in 1981) that contains important information regarding Nuclear Fission within 24 hours. Just to make sure he goes through the mission, Snake has been implanted with two microscopic capsules that will explode within 24 hours, meaning that he'll be dead if he's a little late. Written by Zack H.

The year is 1997. New York City has been turned into a maximum security prison colony, when the American crime rates grows high. New York City is surrounded by a wall and the bridge is mined making sure no convict escapes from New York. Snake Plissken, a one-eyed former soldier turned bank robber arrives at New York after being sentenced to life imprisonment in New York City. Bob Hauk, police commissioner who runs the New York penal colony gives Snake a job for his freedom. Snake is sent into New York to find and rescue the President of the United States who is trapped in New York, when a terrorist hijacked Air Force One and crashed it in New York. Not only Snake must rescue the President, he must also retrieve a cassette containing vital information in the President's possession. Hauk has Snake implanted with a bomb which is programmed to detonate in 22 hours, which will kill Snake if he fails the mission, and Hauk will have the bomb disarmed if Snake succeeds. Entering New York and 22 hours before the bomb kills him, Snake sets out to rescue the President who is being held hostage by a ruthless warlord known as The Duke of New York. Can Snake rescue the President and retrieve the cassette before the 22 hours are up? and will Snake Escape from New York? Written by Daniel Williamson