Rebellion and 2000 AD are proud to announce that Judge Dredd is coming to a cinema near you soon!
Together with DNA Films, the movie production company behind such great sci-fi movies such as Sunshine and 28 Weeks Later, Judge Dredd will go into production in 2009.
Jason Kingsley, CEO and Creative Director said, גWe canגt give away too many details at this point, but weגre looking forward to working with DNA Films to bring Judge Dredd back to the big screen.ג
Weגll keep you up to date with breaking news as it happens!
"I am the Law!" Does that quote give you goosebumps or nightmares? Sylvester Stallone uttered those words as Judge Dredd in the awful 1995 sci-fi action flick, featuring Diane Lane as his partner, Rob Schneider as his comic sidekick, Armand Assante as the villain, and Max von Sydow as the Chief Justice. Now a new version of the British comic strip character will be coming to the big screen, with production scheduled to begin next year, according to an announcement at the 2000 AD web site.
Judge Dredd began life in the second issue of the magazine anthology 2000 AD. In a time when Judges are running a huge megapolis, Judge Dredd was empowered to enforce the law, sentence offenders, and carry out the punishment. The premise sounded ideal for adaptation, but the 1995 movie version, directed by Danny Cannon, was tired and generic; Schneider was especially annoying. It lacked any zip or zest; fans noted that Dredd never removed his helmet in the strip and, more importantly, complained that the dry humor was missing and the mythology was left out. Stallone himself feels that the film was "a real missed opportunity," and told Uncut magazine that "great potential" was wasted. "We shouldn't have tried to make it Hamlet; it's more Hamlet and Eggs."
The new version will be made by Rebellion and production company DNA Films; DNA also made 28 Weeks Later and Sunshine. No other details have been announced. Obviously, the right script and director are essential, but let's play "what if?" and try to imagine: who could be the next Judge Dredd? And does he need to keep his helmet on?
Hopefully, this time around Old Stoney Face is treated with some justice.
Last edited by Spartan on Wed Jul 27, 2011 6:20 am, edited 1 time in total.
Danny Boyle came into the Empire office yesterday for a chat about his much-praised, utterly lovely Slumdog Millionaire, and our keen-eyed readers took the chance to quiz him on a few upcoming projects to which his name has been attached. While the transcript of the webchat is now online here, we've pulled out the highlights for those of you in a hurry.
First of all, there's Judge Dredd. While Boyle's name has not been explicitly attached to the second attempt at 2000AD's flagship character, the fact that his production company DNA got hold of the rights and started movement on a new version last summer had led to a wealth of internet rumours about his involvement. But don't go holding your breath for Danny Boyle's Dredd: "Where has this come from? Someone asked me about Judge Dredd the other day! [Once we remind him that DNA has the rights] Well... ha! I hated the last version of it; I can't imagine the next one will be any better."
And there's more bad news: Boyle was once attached to Terry Pratchett's Bromeliad trilogy (Truckers, Diggers and Wings), but that interesting project has now been shelved. "It's fallen apart. Frank Cotrell Boyce (Millions) and I were going to do it for DreamWorks but sadly no longer. Sorry about that ג wonderful novel(s)."
And then the one that everyone wanted an answer to: what about Irving Welsh's sequel to Trainspotting, Porno? Would Boyle be back for that? "Just waiting for the original actors to age. Help them if you can. Take them out drinking ג get them away from the spas and those moisturisers!"
Boyle also revealed that he had recently been asked to do a remake of Sympathy for Lady Vengeance, and that he thought it was time to do a film with a woman as the central character.
No idea if this is legit or not but here's some concept art supposedly by 2000AD artist called Jock (maybe after my time when I used to read it). I really hope this project gets off the ground, been reading the old epic Dredd sagas over the past months and they're still classic.
In other news there's a new fan made film being made on old timer, Judge Minty taking The Long Walk into The Cursed Earth.
EXCLUSIVE: The best way to get Cannes buyers hot and bothered is to come to market with a branded property that has potentially big commercial appeal, cool elements and a reasonable budget. Here's one that fits that bill: Andrew Macdonaldגs DNA Films has made a deal with India-based Reliance Big Entertainment and IM Global to finance Judge Dredd, a 3D film that was scripted by Alex Garland, and will be directed by Pete Travis, best known for Vantage Point and Omagh. The film will be shopped at the festival by IM Global, in the first collaboration since Reliance bought a majority stake in Stuart Ford's foreign sales company. While Judge Dredd is perhaps best remembered for the forgettable 1995 action film that starred Sylvester Stallone, Macdonald went back to the franchiseגs DNA to completely overhaul the film and bring it back to its origins as the UK comic created by John Wagner and illustrated by Carlos Ezquerra. Dredd is set in a futuristic world filled with violence, and the character is empowered to act as judge, jury and executioner. Garland's best known for writing the novel The Beach, and scripting the Danny Boyle-directed scifi film Sunshine and 28 Days Later. He also wrote the script for a movie version of the Microsoft game Halo that was scrapped by Universal and Fox. The budget's under $50 million, I'm told. This is the kind of project that you would normally find at a studio. This one looked like it would be done under DNA's deal at Fox, but that deal's going away, and Fox let this one loose.
I'm doubting this movie will ever see the light of day but Garland's involvement is at the very least, a promising sign.
really, REALLY hope this gets made and made correctly. The first one was entertaining in a shitty sort of way but a Judge Dredd movie that is actually kind of like the comic book =
odium-LSC wrote:really, REALLY hope this gets made and made correctly. The first one was entertaining in a shitty sort of way but a Judge Dredd movie that is actually kind of like the comic book =
Karl Urban Confirmed For Judge Dredd
And he will NOT remove his helmet
Source: Exclusive
Karl Urban has been confirmed for the leading role in Judge Dredd by producers Andrew Macdonald and Allon Reich of the new film. Urban had been rumoured for the role already, but in a Movie-Con Q&A this evening the pair confirmed that he has been cast for the film, shooting in South Africa soon.
גThe main thing about Dredd is that itגs a fantastic comic that was completely messed up 20 years ago," said Macdonald. "Our idea is to make a very hard, R-rated, gritty, realistic movie of Dredd in Megacity, so weגve got to get the tone right. Heגs not going to take off his helmet. His bike is going to feel real. Heגs going to hit people and itגs going to feel real."
"Thereגs been a change in comic-book movies; they were treated unseriously and now theyגre treated seriously. Weגve cast a guy called Karl Urban to play Dredd. Weגll be shooting in Johannesburg, itגs being directed by Pete Travis, weגre shooting with the people who did District 9 ג and if we get it right, Alex has a couple of ideas for other stories as well. Itגs not based on any one comic, and John Wagner is involved in every decision."
Karl Urban Confirmed For Judge Dredd
And he will NOT remove his helmet
Source: Exclusive
Karl Urban has been confirmed for the leading role in Judge Dredd by producers Andrew Macdonald and Allon Reich of the new film. Urban had been rumoured for the role already, but in a Movie-Con Q&A this evening the pair confirmed that he has been cast for the film, shooting in South Africa soon.
גThe main thing about Dredd is that itגs a fantastic comic that was completely messed up 20 years ago," said Macdonald. "Our idea is to make a very hard, R-rated, gritty, realistic movie of Dredd in Megacity, so weגve got to get the tone right. Heגs not going to take off his helmet. His bike is going to feel real. Heגs going to hit people and itגs going to feel real."
"Thereגs been a change in comic-book movies; they were treated unseriously and now theyגre treated seriously. Weגve cast a guy called Karl Urban to play Dredd. Weגll be shooting in Johannesburg, itגs being directed by Pete Travis, weגre shooting with the people who did District 9 ג and if we get it right, Alex has a couple of ideas for other stories as well. Itגs not based on any one comic, and John Wagner is involved in every decision."