One of the greatest comic book movie adaptations of all time is headed to Max next month. And, not only does it rank highly in the realm of comic book movies, it gets top marks for action too. Released back in 2012, Dredd
brings the 2000 AD series of comic books, and the dystopian adventures of Judge Dredd, to life rather expertly, pitting the no-nonsense law enforcement officer against a tirade of criminals after he and his rookie partner find themselves locked inside one of Mega-City One’s worst tower blocks.
Directed by Pete Travis from a screenplay by 28 Days Later writer and Civil War director Alex Garland (who reportedly also took on most of the directing duties for Dredd), the movie stars Karl Urban as Judge Dredd alongside Olivia Thirlby, Lena Headey, Domnhall Gleeson, Wood Harris, and Langley Kirkwood. Dredd lands on Max on February 1, and you can check out the official synopsis for this comic book action masterpiece below.
“Mega City One is a vast, violent metropolis where felons rule the streets. The only law lies with cops called “judges,” who act as judge, jury and executioner, and Dredd (Karl Urban) is one of the city’s most feared. One day, Dredd is partnered with Cassandra (Olivia Thirlby), a rookie with powerful psychic abilities. A report of a terrible crime sends Dredd and Cassandra to a dangerous area controlled by Ma-Ma (Lena Headey), a drug lord who will stop at nothing to protect her empire.”
Will Karl Urban’s Dredd Ever Return in a Sequel?
Dredd was met with rave reviews upon release, landing a score of 80% on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie was praised for its “bombastic violence and impressive special effects,” as well as “capturing its source material’s gritty spirit.” Sadly, the response did not result in box office receipts, with Dredd earning just $41 million, against an estimated budget between $30-45 million. The movie has since garnered a passionate cult following, with fans wondering if we will ever return to this take on Mega-City One. A straight-up Dredd 2 has bounced in and out of development for over a decade, with Urban revealing to MovieWeb back in 2014 that a prequel had even been discussed.
“Why yes, there is a definite possibility. But, it is more likely that we will do the origins story with Dredd trekking through the cursed earth to find the first Chief Judge Fargo.”
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A TV series spin-off has also been discussed, with the latest update regarding any sort of follow-up coming in 2023 when Jason Kingsley, CEO of Rebellion, owners of the Dredd IP, revealed that a right issue and ongoing negotiations were behind any sort of sequel stalling. Further rumors have since claimed that any plans for a sequel are now over, with Karl Urban having found success in the likes of the Prime Video superhero series The Boys and a starring role as Johnny Cage in the upcoming video game adaptation Mortal Kombat 2.
Dredd
- Release Date
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September 21, 2012
- Runtime
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95 minutes
Stream
