In a recent GQ video dissecting Kurt Russell‘s iconic roles, the interviewer broached the subject of Metal Gear Solid and the rumored connection between the game's Solid Snake and Russell's Snake Plissken from Escape From New York, Gamespot reports. When asked if he was ever approached to voice the character, Russell, known for his straightforward humor, responded, “I'm pretty lazy by nature,” hinting at his lack of interest in such endeavors.

The actor, who portrayed Snake Plissken in John Carpenter's 1981 film, acknowledged that people have suggested various projects over the years but clarified, “I don't know, I'm a movie guy.” Russell emphasized his inclination towards the film industry, expressing a preference for playing iconic characters in a single project rather than exploring different mediums or stretching a character's legacy.

Russell, rooted in a different era, explained his reluctance to expand financially on characters he has portrayed. He highlighted the importance of creating something new and fresh instead of revisiting past roles, particularly without the involvement of the original creator. Referencing his decision-making process, Russell stated, “I’d look at [a script] and say, ‘That’s not written by John.’ That doesn’t smell right. John’s not here to do this. I’m not gonna do that. Let’s go do something new, let’s do something fresh, let’s go create another iconic character, rather than saying ‘What can we bleed off this iconic character?’”

While Russell did reprise the role of Snake Plissken for the Escape from New York sequel, Escape from LA, his amusingly candid reasons for turning down Metal Gear Solid shed light on his commitment to originality and his distinctive approach to selecting projects.