Karl Ubran Talking To Filmmakers About DREDD 2 And DARK JUDGES Miniseries Coming This Month

TheWrap has word from Dredd producer Adi Shankar that an online miniseries titled Dark Judges is coming later this month. The free series will have seven-parts, the assumption is that Adi directed these. He's already made something similar with Punisher: Dirty Laundry, which had Thomas Jane reprise his role for the short. Details haven't been revealed, but I assume from the title it will focus on Judge Death and the other Dark Judges. A group of villains that fans have been demanded to see in a sequel.



Some cool videos pertaining to Dredd 2 have surfaced last week. Actress Olivia Thirlby voices her appreciation of the fan support for the film, for the Day of Dredd event on October 1st. This sounds like Olivia might be on board for returning, if Dredd 2 happens. The day was setup in-support of the film, and asks people to sign the official sequel petition along with buying/watching the film.

Fans helped the film reach #1 on Amazon UK's Blu-Ray bestsellers list, and #11 on the US list. Impressive considering the film was outselling films like Frozen, Captain America: The Winter Solider and Edge of Tomorrow. While the box office wasn't great, it's found a cult following with home viewers.



On that note, Karl Urban had an update during this weekend. He told British talk show host Jonathan Ross that while in London he was going to be meeting with Dredd filmmakers about the sequel. The event in question was Destination Stark Trek 3. This could be just a meeting, considering Adi has stated a script doesn't even exist. Perhaps, everyone was getting together to discuss what the sequel could look like and where the script should go. You can see the video (via ThePlayer) from the event above.

SOURCE: THEWRAP

Karl Urban Says DREDD Sequel Being Considered By Studio

We've been hearing for over a year that if fans demanded a sequel to Dredd it would happen. WhatCulture has a promising update from Karl Urban (via a Star Trek event in Germany), who confirms the studio is having "conversations" with director Pete Travis and writer Alex Garland. This is off the heels of the successful DVD, Blu-Ray, and digital sales. This is the first hint that the studio is considering making a second film.

It's disastrous box office numbers were likely due the terrible marketing, and distributors holding back 2D prints of the film in some markets. Instead of promoting the story or is amazingly colorful violent world, they focused on the 3D aspect which obviously didn't help ticket sales. Critics seemingly loved the film, as it earned a 78% fresh rating at RottenTomatoes. I loved it, and thought they made it in the vein of Paul Verhoeven's Total Recall and Robocop, which is how a character like this should be approached.

In 2012, at the London Comic-Con writer Alex Garland revealed trilogy plans for Dredd. Stating that, the second film would focus on the origins of Dredd and Mega-City One. The third movie would focus on Dredd's big baddie Judge Dredd and his Dark Judges. Garland's original script included Death, but would later be replaced with Ma-Ma. If the studio is smart, they'd film the two sequels back to back, saving a lot of money and securing this trilogy happens.

A Facebook group and petition to get a sequel made was eventually endorsed by 2000 AD comics, and in September 2012 earned over 80,000 signatures. The comic company released a direct sequel to the film in comic book form, titled Dredd: Underbelly which was set one year after the events of the film.

SOURCE: WHATCULTURE

Pete Travis Considering Another Comic Book Film And Open To STAR WARS

Speaking to MovieWeb Pete Travis (Dredd) confirms he's been sent a script for another comic book film. The unnamed project seems to have captured his interest and hopes to get it made sometime this year. However, the movie is in very early stages. He also briefly comments on his desire to make a Star Wars film. We know that the studio is looking to make spin-offs and he'd be an awesome person to tackle one of those.

"I wasn't looking for a comic book movie when I found Dredd. Like I say, it was all about the script. There is another comic book script that I have been sent, that I quite like. I hope it might get made this year. I think comic books and graphic novels are exciting. I think there are tons of ways to make them more real. It's an area I am really excited about...No, not at the moment. It is in the early stage." 

"I wouldn't count out anything in this business, really. Who knows what tomorrow will bring? Who wouldn't be interested in that? I loved it as a kid. I loved it while I was growing up. So, who knows?" 

A COUPLE OF PROJECTS I THINK IT COULD BE

BLACK PANTHER: I'd love it to be Marvel's Black Panther which has a script from Mark Bailey. Pete has proven he can make a fictional place like Mega-City One believable. Travis could be able to create the fictional high-tech country Wakanda in similar way. T'Challa needs a visionary to tell his story and he seems like that person. The only problem is that I doubt this will be made until Avengers 2 wraps production. Currently, Captain America: The Winter Soldier is set to shoot in April with Guardians of The Galaxy in the Summer. While I want it to be Panther it's a long-shot.

HARD BOILED: Another possible project would be Warner Bros' Hard Boiled which is based on the Frank Miller graphic novel. Miller wrote the script for the studio with the hope of directing it back in 2008. Hard Boiled went into development-limbo when Frank's The Spirit bombed at the box office. A futuristic debt collector in a massive violent noir city figures out something important about himself while a large body count amasses around him.

RONIN: Ronin is another Frank Miller project setup at Warner Bros. that has script but is also development-limbo. That film had Sylvain White attached to direct but his other comic book film The Losers didn't do very well. After the release it was unknown if the project was going to get made. It focuses on a ronin from feudal Japan that is transported to a futuristic New York City.

LONE WOLF AND CUB: The iconic manga series Lone Wolf And Cub spawned a bunch of Japanese films and influenced Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill. Kamala Films is developing an American take on the material with Justin Lin attached to direct. However, Lin has been dropping out of films in record speed with films like Terminator 5 and Highlander previously. It's possible that Justin could exit this project too. I could see this being right up Pete's ally. The film has a script in development from David and Janet Peoples (Unforgiven, Blade Runner, Blade Runner Sequel). A betrayed executioner for the Shogun and his son travel the roads of Japan while being pursued by a neverending flood of assassins. At one point Darren Aronofksy was trying to make a version himself before the rights were lost.

Pete Travis Talks DREDD Sequel And Alex Garland Has Ideas For A Trilogy

One of the most underrated films of 2012 will likely go down as being Dredd, among a few others. The hard boiled R-rated comic book film turned out to be one of the best genre films of the year. It ended up earning a lot of critical praise and in my opinion is this generation's Robocop. Dredd turned out more tense and unique action scenes than the over-hyped Expendables 2 or the disappointing Total Recall remake. Sadly, it did very poorly at the box office despite it's meager $50 million budget. A sequel has been in question because of the numbers but if BluRay/DVD/VOD sales a good enough it's possible. I feel like Dredd could find new life like most cult-films do with home viewing.

Director Pete Travis is currently promoting the BluRay release on January 8th and talked to MovieWeb about the future of Dredd. He likely won't be back as a director but is hopeful that a sequel could happen. Peter also mentions that writer/producer Alex Garland has outlined a trilogy. Details aren't dropped but it sounds like Garland and Urban could give us more exciting installments sometime in the futre.

"I don't think so. I really hope there is a second one. I just feel very lucky to have been involved in the first one. It has been a great experience for me. I read Alex Garland's script two years ago, and I feel in love with it then. I have enjoyed the whole process of working on that with him, and bringing it to the screen. It was extraordinary. I hope they get the chance to make another one. I think Dredd is an extraordinary character. I think Karl Urban captured him so perfectly. I think there is a real beautiful future there." 

"I think Alex Garland has a trilogy in his mind. I think there is a whole exciting journey in front of Dredd if Alex and Karl Urban get to take him on that journey. The future is really exciting for him. Especially in terms of going with some of the other characters from the comic book. Finding out more about where Dredd comes from. I also think its exciting, the possibilities. The first film does go all out as a visual feast. Whoever gets a chance to do the others willl take that, and make it even more exciting. I can't wait to see it. I don't really know how the sequel thing works, really. I hope they get another chance to make a second film. I think Karl Urban...He is Dredd. It would be really exciting for them to make another, and go further with that character. I sincerely hope so..."

Six Films That DREDD Director Pete Travis Should Tackle Next

Dredd has to be one of the best R-rated action flicks I've seen in a long time. District 9 being the last film that was as entertaining as Dredd was. It wasn't a paint-by-numbers action flick like Expendables 2 or even watered down like Taken 2. The film took cues from the original Robocop and Total Recall films, serious action in a surreal science fiction world. It's been even longer since we've seen a solid/fun R-rated comic book film. I've come up a few other projects that director Pete Travis should be considered for. Keep Travis in mind Fox, Sony, Warner Bros. and Dreamworks because he's the next Matthew Vaughn.

DEUS EX: CBS Films has optioned the rights to make a film based on the recent video game. Considering it would be a smaller production and would need a talent like Travis to beef up the film's apperence without spending a boat-load of money he could manage it. As Dredd's budget was in the range of $45 million which is slightly more than half of a terrible Adam Sandler comedy. Pete could build the world for Deus Ex from the ground up and make it his own.

METAL GEAR SOLID: Sony along with producer Avi Arad (Iron Man, X-Men 1-3, Spider-Man) recently announced that a Metal Gear Solid film is finally in the works. Christopher Nolan might be the creator Hideo Kojima's choice but they'll have to lower their standards considering it's a video game franchise. If given a solid script I assume Pete could give us a decent take on Snake. However, it's unknown if a script is in place but it would be nice to see Hideo involved. Not that the quality is there with Sony's Resident Evil films but they are a successful R-rated video game film franchise. Which could help influence the rating come budget discussions.

GHOST IN THE SHELL: Dreamworks and Steven Spielberg have been trying to develop a Ghost In The Shell film for years now. They've had screenwriter Laeta Kalogridis (Shutter Island, Avatar) working on it for ages now. It had been confirmed by Laeta that the adaptation would be influenced by the original manga not the anime films. While Dreamworks mostly makes family friendly film it's possible they could aim to please the fans by including it's adult material. Pete proved he can handle developing an arc for a female character (Anderson) within an action setting, a rare task these days.

NINJA SCROLL: Appian Way, who also tried to develop an Akira film holds the film rights currently. They were a little more faithful with their adaptation announcement stating the production would be filmed in Japan with Japanese actors. A bold statement considering all the liberties they and Warner Bros. took with changing the entire identity of Akira (now in limbo). Warner Bros. hired Watchmen scribe Alex Tse to develop a script back in 2010 but since then no word on it's development. While this is more of a fantasy film it has enough action that could be helped by Travis, plus it doesn't hurt to switch up genres slightly.

HARD BOILED: The Dark Horse comic is ultra-violent an is about a troubled tax collector called Nixon who realizes that his life is nothing like what it seems and he is a man of metal, like some kind of robot doing the bidding of a dark organization. Frank Miller is currently developing the script for Warner Bros. there had been talk of him directing. However, after The Spirit those talks have likely ended. That said, his relationship with the studio is still solid with his comic Xerxes being the basis of the 300 sequel 300: Rise of An Empire. I think a Frank Miller/Pete Travis team up could be something special. The art from Hard Boiled reminded me of Robocop meets Judge Dredd, so it's hard not to connect the two gentlemen.

PREDATORS 2: Like Dredd, Predators was a reboot of sorts. The only thing is that Judge Dredd was a flop while Predator and it's reboot Predators (somewhat) were successful. It comes down to a personal interest to see what Pete Travis could do within the Predator universe. Ridley Scott is already planning his Prometheus sequel Paradise and Fox should take advantage of the rekindled interest in their R-rate science fiction. There had been word from producer/writer Robert Rodriguez the studio had interest in making a sequel to Predators but that was awhile back now. My main problem with the film is how they rushed things and hired Nimrod not Rodriguez. Instead of waiting for Robert to direct and Arnold Schwarzenegger to make his return as Dutch.

Arnold is back making films along with returning to the Terminator and Conan franchises. It's only a matter of time before we start hearing rumblings he's getting for another shot at Predator. Originally, Robert's Predator sequel had Dutch on the Predator world which seems like a excellent way to move the series forward. It also included humans using Predator technology which could help even the playground a bit. What I'd like to see is Pete considered for the directing gig while Arnold returns as Dutch pushing more of a science fiction aspect of the franchise. There were some solid elements from the AVP comics that could inspire the next installment. Including a civil war among the predator clans not to mention what happens when a group of humans get their hands on predator-tech for their own use. Having "worthy" humans inducted into the clans by testing their wit/might against dangerous alien creatures.

TRAILER: 'DREDD'

Teaser Poster For 'DREDD'

A Couple Of New 'DREDD' Stills

'DREDD' Reboot Gets An R-Rating

Judge Dredd fans should be pleased that the new film Dredd has earned a R-rating for strong bloody violence, language, drug use and some sexual content. It's not surprising considering the gory stills that appeared online a few months back. Yet, it screams faithful compared to the Sly Stallone film from the 90's. The film has a September 21st 2012 release date so a trailer should be around the corner.

New Set Photo From Dredd Shows Off Costume & Chopper

SlashFilm has got a hold of another set photo from Dredd the new Judge Dredd reboot starring Karl Urban. This time instead of fantastic looking sets we get a look at a full judge costume and lawmaster bike.

Lena Headey Playing Villain In Dredd?

BleedingCool is reporting a rumor that 300 and Sarah Connor Chronicles star Lena Headey is joining Dredd. The Judge Dredd reboot has already cast Karl Urban in the lead and Olivia Thirlby in a supporting role. Headey would play Madeline Madrigal (Ma-Ma) a scared villain that leads the gang who controls a part of the city.