DREDD

[Fried Gold]

A Judge Dredd film has been greenlit for production in 2009.

This is one adaptation I'd like to see done well. There is a such a depth of material to draw from, which the first film decided to largely ignore (beyond the superficial), and the potential is high for a great movie.

Work on a new Judge Dredd film project have been going on ever since Rebellion took over publishing of 2000AD, but now a production is properly linked to the project....and DNA Films has a history with a fair amount of integrity, so one can be hopeful.

http://www.2000adonline.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=23822

[papalazeru]

Interesting.

Let's hope it doesn't turn into the camp film that already exists.

[Steven Walker]

I feel the Judge Dredd movie was overly criticized. It's not great, but I always have fun watching it. The world needed Sly Stallone and Max Von Sydow together in a film. Plus, the movie has a fantastic musical score that still gets my blood pumping.

It also had one of the best teaser trailers ever, thanks in no small part to an iconic piece of Jerry Goldsmith music that was written for the trailer. I wish someone would release a decent version of it. The only copy I could find was on the John Beal Trailer Project CD, but it was performed by a less-than-stellar orchestra. I want the London Symphony, dammit!

I read in what might have been Cinescape Magazine that when the first Judge Dredd came out it was supposed to be hard R, but the studio tried to cut it down to PG-13 at the last minute. They resubmitted it to the ratings board with a lot of stuff cut, but it still wound up with an R rating. Yet for whatever reason, the original hard R cut was not restored. They released the film in it's neutered, not quite PG-13 but not quite R either form. Does anyone out there in readerland know if this is true?

If it is true, is there any chance we'll ever see that bloodier cut? I would love to watch it. I definitely remember seeing a photo of Sly blasting a half-formed clone with a shot gun that was way more graphic than anything in the movie. More blood! More blood!

[Fried Gold]

I feel the Judge Dredd movie was overly criticized. It's not great, but I always have fun watching it.

It has a lot of things wrong with it. Taking it as a film on it's own, it's fairly average. Taking it as a Judge Dredd, it's pretty poor.

I read in what might have been Cinescape Magazine that when the first Judge Dredd came out it was supposed to be hard R, but the studio tried to cut it down to PG-13 at the last minute. They resubmitted it to the ratings board with a lot of stuff cut, but it still wound up with an R rating. Yet for whatever reason, the original hard R cut was not restored. They released the film in it's neutered, not quite PG-13 but not quite R either form. Does anyone out there in readerland know if this is true?

If it is true, is there any chance we'll ever see that bloodier cut? I would love to watch it. I definitely remember seeing a photo of Sly blasting a half-formed clone with a shot gun that was way more graphic than anything in the movie. More blood! More blood!

Sort of true. It was made as a PG-13 film, but got rated as a an R film. Apparently no attempts were made to cut it down for the ratings board, only appeals were made to get their decision overturned.

So there probably isn't a bloodier cut. The US version was more violent than the UK version, which was cut down to get a 15 rating instead of 18.

[Hermanator X]

CONCEPT ART

[Fried Gold]

CONCEPT ART

Getting Jock to do concept designs is a very good start.

[BlueHawaiiSurfer]

I feel the Judge Dredd movie was overly criticized. It's not great, but I always have fun watching it.

It has a lot of things wrong with it. Taking it as a film on it's own, it's fairly average. Taking it as a Judge Dredd, it's pretty poor.

I agree 100%. I loved the old books and had a friend bring me a bunch from a trip to London back in the late 90's. The movie didn't capture the spirit of the books at all. I loved the look of the film and agree about the music. Costumes were "OK" and the designs were not bad but the casting was horrible. I think for the time they made a decent stand alone film for someone who never really read the book but for most of the fans it was just a "phoned in" effort by the actors. That said I want to see some Judge Death!!!

[Nachokoolaid]

Casting horrible?

You mean you don't like [Tim Allen voice from Santa Clause] ARMAND ASANTE!!!

[TheButcher]

From MTV: Danny Boyle Shaky On ‘Judge Dredd’ & Terry Pratchett Adaptations, Teases Next ‘28 Days Later’ Sequel

“Someone asked me about Judge Dredd the other day!” Boyle told Empire. “I hated the last version of it; I can’t imagine the next one will be any better.”

Those strong words don’t bode well for rumors that Boyle could be in line to direct DNA’s new film, which has already seen “Judge Dredd” concept art from comics artist Jock hitting the ‘Net.

Boyle further cooled the Internet speculation machines with biting words about the superhero genre in film.

“Not a great fan of superhero movies,” he stated. “We need those extremes of storytelling, but are reluctant to use them in anything other than fantasy movies.”

[Pitch Invader]

Maybe they'll have Chopper make an appearance in the new flick, hopefully not as a comedy sidekick though.

[Worst Part's Almost Over]

Just finished re-reading both 'Necropolis' and 'Origins' and I feel fairly certain that any new Judge Dredd movie should be a new story fashioned from elements of the 'Origins' storyline. You could then have an utterly EPIC sequel based entirely on 'Necropolis'.

Two key things for any future Judge Dredd movie though:

1. John Wagner must be involved in the writing of both storyline and script.

and

2. The Judge Death Equation:


I am the law.

[Sodacake]

That's actually a very good idea having Doug Jones as Judge Death.

[judderman]

Dyyyiinng issss eaasssssyyyy....

I dunno about this. A movie that did Dredd justice would be a relentless, pummelling downer. The biggest problem with the Stallone movie was they tried to make out that the Dreddverse had good guys. Bullshit. Judge Dredd isn't a good guy, he's a fascist. The only thing that made him sympathetic at all was that virtually everyone else in his world was worse than he was, including most of the snivelling, self-serving, proudly ignorant proles he was meant to be protecting. The Dreddverse is one in which there's nowhere to run. The land is poison desert; the sea is black sludge. Only the cities are habitable, and even they get nuked every few decades. Everyone is out for a piece of the pie, and genuinely good people usually end up finishing last. The only way this was made tolerable was the fact that the writers had a wicked sense of humour and understood just how to make this bleak message funny.

[TheButcher]

From MTV:
'Judge Dredd' Movie And Kevin Smith On Archie & Veronica in Today's Twitter Report

From /film:
Comics Artist Jock Tweets Judge Dredd and The Losers Movie News

Fresher than these however, and considerably more interesting, is Jock’s tweet from earlier today on the upcoming Judge Dredd reboot:

working through script visuals for Judge Dredd movie. Alex Garland writes a great script.

From CinemaBlend:
Alex Garland Takes On Judge Dredd

From Den of Geek:
Alex Garland completes Judge Dredd screenplay?

From EMPIRE:
Alex Garland Is Writing Judge Dredd

[marineboy]

I think they're going to miss the trick again with Dredd. The problem with the last film was it's attempt to introduce too many Dredd universe characters. There was simply no need for the non-retarded Fergie, the Angel Gang or Hammerstein. Assantes' Rico was the only shining light in this mess.

The temptation will be to fill a script with "merchandise" - and if they do this, then there is probably no better storyline to draw from than The Cursed Earth. Dredd as a road movie would be frickin awesome. F*k Judge Death, we've seen it all before already. But Dredd driving his lawmaster through the nightmare terrain, meeting Tweak, Spikes Harvey, Satanus etc - now that could be special.

You see, Mega City One's been realised in too many ways now, albeit in other movies - it just wouldn't be interesting for the viewer. Too much CGI overkill - but if you turned Dredd into a visually spartan Mad Max/Apocalypse story, where Dredd starts off as a Nazi and is ground down into a near humanitarian through an epic journey, then yes, you might have a movie worth making.

Anyway, just my take on things - all I ask is, Clint's too old so the next coolest chin in Hollywood has to be Perlmans!

[judderman]

I think if they want to introduce the show's concept, they should just do the short, "One night", which shows the Judges on patrol on a typical night, in which an escalating block war leads to the destruction of a highrise building housing 50,000 people. I would close with a single strip in which a mad sniper begins shooting people. We see briefly into the sniper's mind, saying, "Crazy city, crazy people. I hate ya all". And then, the Judges simply respond by crying, "Switching to incendiary!" and blowing him to smithereens. The narration simply concludes that they'll never know who he was, but it doesn't matter, because Justice is done.

[Fried Gold]

I think they're going to miss the trick again with Dredd. The problem with the last film was it's attempt to introduce too many Dredd universe characters. There was simply no need for the non-ALF Fergie, the Angel Gang or Hammerstein. Assantes' Rico was the only shining light in this mess.

I agree that it was a mistake to pack all that stuff in one first movie.Trying to include that much just didn't work....I'm surprised they didn't also throw in Psi-~Judges, Brit-Cit, the Dark Judges and a cameo by Johnny Alpha.

Start with the fundamentals. It's too big a universe to cover everything in one film.

[TheButcher]

From /film:
No Director Attached to Judge Dredd, Neither Dredd Nor Lobo Producers or Writers Consulting The Comic’s Creators
I now have NO interest in either movie.

[TheButcher]

From MTV:
'Judge Dredd' Creator Says New Movie Offers 'Truer Representation Of Dredd Than The First Movie'

"I have read the script (by Alex Garland) and seen Jock's visuals," he confirmed. "While I can't go into detail about the content I can say that it's high-octane, edge of the seat stuff, and gives a far truer representation of Dredd than the first movie."

[quiethell]

I won't believe this until I actually see a trailer.

[TheButcher]

Deadline Exclusive: Reliance Big's 'Judge Dredd' Deal Makes Scifi Film A Hot Cannes Pre-Sale Title

[TheButcher]

From Collider:
JUDGE DREDD Set to Begin Filming at the End of the Year; Will Be in 3D

[TheButcher]

From MTV:
Karl Urban Won't Remove Judge Dredd's Helmet For Film

[birthmark]

Sweet Jesus why is there a thread on this?

[DerLanghaarige]

From MTV:
Karl Urban Won't Remove Judge Dredd's Helmet For Film

I approve on this casting. Especially because Urban is meanwhile famous enough to have his name on the poster, but still not famous enough to have executives worry about having their star wear a face-blocking helmet for the whole movie.

[Fried Gold]

Click to embiggen:

[Spandau Belly]

I can't really say I feel the authoritarian machismo from that pic of Karl Urban in that photo. It does look like a kid dressing up as Judge Dredd for Halloween. That helmet makes his head look small and his physique just doesn't look imposing.

I've been meaning to revisit the Stallone film lately. I remember finding the film kinda hit and miss at the time, but I liked Stallone's performance and he looked good in that costume. The film's campiness has probably appreciated its value with time.

I don't know anything about this character other than the Stallone film because I don't read comicbooks.

[Bayouwolf]

I gotta agree with Spandau. It looks like he's wearing the helmet of a guy twice his size.

Although, he does have that gritty voice going for him that I always imagined JD would have..."Dammit Jim, I AM THE LAW"...

[Fried Gold]

I don't know anything about this character other than the Stallone film.

That's pretty much as good as knowing nothing about Judge Dredd,

[The Vicar]

I don't know anything about this character other than the Stallone film.

That's pretty much as good as knowing nothing about Judge Dredd,

ITSFUNNYCAUSEITSTRUELASH!!!!!

[TheButcher]

Lena Headey to Play Villain in DREDD?

[Hermanator X]

[Peven]

did they tell him to try to do the Stallone frown? step one, Karl, don't try to look or act like anything like that tool and maybe this movie will be worth watching....

[so sorry]

Man that helmet looks big on his head, don't it?

[DennisMM]

Very much so. And it looks very grounded in reality, if that makes sense for a giant helmet. More the early comics, when he was just a big guy in a weird outfit. What I can see of the jacket looks military, not science-fictional.

Peven, the frown is not Stallone's. It's Dredd's. It's pretty much the only expression he has.

[Peven]

so he has no arc?

[DennisMM]

He has almost no character. Dredd is basically a walking plot device, though he does on occasion show emotions other than disapproval.

[Peven]

ok, well, I don't see how they expect to make that work very well as a movie, it is one thing when the villain is a walking plot device, like Arnie in "Terminator", but I really don't think that sort of emotional distance with the audience works with the hero role nearly as well if at all.

[minstrel]

ok, well, I don't see how they expect to make that work very well as a movie, it is one thing when the villain is a walking plot device, like Arnie in "Terminator", but I really don't think that sort of emotional distance with the audience works with the hero role nearly as well if at all.

This is something that has always bothered me a little about detective stories. The detective is always portrayed as the hero, but he never goes through a character arc. Lieutenant Columbo is the same at the end as at the beginning of all his movies. Sherlock Holmes doesn't change - for the most part, his cases don't affect him much emotionally. I respect The Maltese Falcon because Sam Spade pays a price to do his job, and he doesn't like doing it, but that's an exception.

[TheButcher]

Lionsgate sets 'Dredd' for 2012 - 3D pic to be released on Sept. 21, 2012

Adding another 3D title to its 2012 pipeline, Lionsgate has dated comicbook adaptation "Dredd" for a Sept. 21 release.

"Dredd," based on the popular "Judge Dredd" comic book series, marks the first September 2012 release for Lionsgate. The distrib plans to launch "The Expendables" sequel on Aug. 17 and 3D horror pic "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" on Oct. 5.

Directed by Pete Travis and starring Karl Urban, Olivia Thirlby and Lena Headey, "Dredd" tells the futuristic story of a powerful cop in Mega City One, a city that runs down the entire east coast of America. Pic is produced by DNA Films' Andrew Macdonald, Allon Reich and Alex Garland, along with Stuart Ford's IM Global.

"Dredd" is included in a three-picture deal between Lionsgate and IM Global that was announced during November 2010.

In its date, the film will launch the same weekend as Sony's toon "Hotel Transylvania" and a week after Sony/Screen Gems' fifth "Resident Evil" installment, both of which will screen in 3D.

[Spandau Belly]

So here's some screenshots from the upcoming movie:

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/53366

These really do nothing good for me. Judge Viewtiful Joe Dredd definitely is not physically imposing, especially when shown side by side with a skinny lady partner who looks the same size as he.

Also, that shot where Girl Dredd is shooting that dude. She doesn't look like she's doing anything. No recoil, no flash from the barrel, no gun smoke. It just looks like the dude's head is exploding on its own.

[so sorry]

So here's some screenshots from the upcoming movie:

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/53366

These really do nothing good for me. Judge Viewtiful Joe Dredd definitely is not physically imposing, especially when shown side by side with a skinny lady partner who looks the same size as he.

Yeah I had the same opinion. But then again, I had the same opinion about Bane in the new Batman movie and got shouted down by the "its the actor's portrayal, not the physical appearance" police, so what do I know....

Also, that shot where Girl Dredd is shooting that dude. She doesn't look like she's doing anything. No recoil, no flash from the barrel, no gun smoke. It just looks like the dude's head is exploding on its own.[/quote]

Bwahaha! Didn't get that until you just pointed it out.

[judderman]

ok, well, I don't see how they expect to make that work very well as a movie, it is one thing when the villain is a walking plot device, like Arnie in "Terminator", but I really don't think that sort of emotional distance with the audience works with the hero role nearly as well if at all.

It's not Dredd that sells Dredd, it's the world he inhabits. Judge Dredd isn't really about him, but the people whose lives he affects (ruins) and the regime he supports, which, the comic reminds us, is fascist. Many of the criminals have extensive backstories and well-developed personalities, and are often portrayed merely as victims of this atrocious system, but the joke always comes back to bite them in the ass- no matter what grand delusions they may harbour of rebellion, to Dredd they're just one more for the iso-cubes (or the incendiary slug, as appropriate).

That is why I've been having issues with the plot of this story; it's set on a single location and involves just one group of villains. I can't see how they could develop the story outward to include all the necessary minor characters that make Dredd's world work.

[papalazeru]

The trailer is out. Get it quick!

[TheBaxter]

so i guess now EVERY superhero has to do that christian bale gravelly batman voice?

[papalazeru]

so i guess now EVERY superhero has to do that christian bale gravelly batman voice?

The new superman film has him talking in a frequency so low and gravelly you can only hear with Skywalker Sounds new '3D audio' hearing aids, available at your foyer.

[Peven]

looks like Judge Dredd:The Raid

[Spandau Belly]

I think this lead guy is miscast, but not horribly so. Probably should of gone with Vin Diesel or Terry Crews or somebody more macho like that.

It was fine back when Kurt Russel did a Clint impression in ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK, and even though I laugh out loud at Bale doing that voice in the Batman movies, it's okay there too; but I think playing a Dirty Harry type character by doing a Clint Eastwood impression feels a little too obvious to me. Maybe shake it up by doing a Heston voice or something. I would also have huge respect for any actor willing to commit to doing Arnie's voice for a whole movie.

This trailer doesn't look like a horrible movie, but nothing about it grabs me either. It doesn't really sell the character or the world or the action. It mostly sells the premise, which, although a good simple setup for an action feature, everybody's pointed out it is the exact same as THE RAID. The only thing the trailer left me wondering was whether Dredd is gonna have to snort slowmo in order to win against the slowmo junkies.

This movie needs to be more gimmicky to get me interested. If there are WARRIORS-style themed gangs and eccentric henchmen with novelty weapons in this film, they need to put those in the trailer if they want me to watch this.

[TonyWilson]

ok, well, I don't see how they expect to make that work very well as a movie, it is one thing when the villain is a walking plot device, like Arnie in "Terminator", but I really don't think that sort of emotional distance with the audience works with the hero role nearly as well if at all.

This is something that has always bothered me a little about detective stories. The detective is always portrayed as the hero, but he never goes through a character arc. Lieutenant Columbo is the same at the end as at the beginning of all his movies. Sherlock Holmes doesn't change - for the most part, his cases don't affect him much emotionally. I respect The Maltese Falcon because Sam Spade pays a price to do his job, and he doesn't like doing it, but that's an exception.

Character development is overrated.

[Nachokoolaid]

In my opinion, that looked better than what I was expecting. And to it's defense, I think that it's a little unfair to say this is a Raid knockoff. This was written we before that came out.