If you have read any of my news articles, you will probably be aware that the consistency of reboots, remakes, and sequels coming out of Hollywood has irked me, as it has irked many of us in recent years. But what I think is most annoying about all of these reboots is how seriously they seem to take themselves. There’s just no fun in the movies any more. Well, if Con Air director Simon West has his way, Con Air 2 could bring some fun back to the movies by launching a bunch of criminals into space.
That’s right: if Con Air 2 ever gets made (and that’s a big IF), Simon West would very much like for it to be Con Air in Space. Here’s what the director said in talking with Screen Daily (via Collider):
I would do it if it was completely turned on its head. Con Air in space, for example – a studio version where they’re all robots or the convicts are reanimated as super-convicts, or where the good guys are bad guys and the bad guys are good guys. Something shocking. If it was clever writing it could work.
Wow. Well, yes, I suppose that if it was clever, it could work. But that’s a pretty odd idea, all things considered. Of course, we have had a surfeit of bizarrely plotted action films come to the big screen, so I guess that Con Air in Space is not any weirder than a number of them.
West has admittedly not had a great track record over the years. His last films include The Mechanic and The Expendables 2 – both perfectly serviceable, perfectly ridiculous movies. Con Air itself is not going to win any awards for cohesive plotting or execution, but it worked just fine as a big, dumb action movie with a pretty good cast. Given that Nicolas Cage will take literally anything that comes across his desk right now, he would probably be on board for Con Air in Space if West wanted him.
Of course, this all just a pipe dream right now. There is no script and no apparent interest in a Con Air 2, in space or not. But it’s certainly a different idea, and one which we will keep a close eye on if it should ever come to fruition.
