Judge Dredd

[Tribal Warfare]

SCOOP: Karl Urban To Be Cast As Judge Dredd
Submitted by Rich Johnston on July 21, 2010

We’ve been hearing word about the new Judge Dredd movie for quite some time. A step up from the Sylvester Stallone movie, it’s intended to be closer to the darker tone of the comic book. And it was all the buzz at Cannes earlier this year.

Well, Bleeding Cool now understands that Karl Urban will be offered the role of Judge Dredd in the new movie. Or at least Judge Dredd’s chin. Because one of the main provisos of the deal is that, just as in the comic, Judge Dredd will not remove his helmet. But of course that chin will now be seen in glorious three dimensions. And, contract willing, Karl Urban is of a mind to accept it.

Best known of late for playing Bones McCoy in the recent JJ Abrams Star Trek movie as well as Cesar in Xena Warrior Princess and Eomer in Lord Of The Rings, as well as the upcoming Red, he certainly has the right geek-cred background. But this is the role that is likely to make him a geek god supreme.

[Mama Hip Rockets]

I just watched the Stallone version the other night. It sucks.

[Bowser]

They're remaking this turd? LOL

[Taco John]

I never watched the first one, but I like Karl Urban. He's got some range.

[Hammock Parties]

This doesn't need a remake. The first one was perfection.

Now a sequel, on the other hand...

[KcMizzou]

Originally Posted by Bowser

They're remaking this turd? LOL

The turds are the ones that should be remade.

[Bowser]

Originally Posted by KcMizzou

The turds are the ones that should be remade.

Agreed, but this particular turd needs to be flushed. I really, really wanted to like the first one, but couldn't. My favorite parts - when Rob Schneider mocks Dredd in Dredd's voice - "Ah AM the LAW!", and any scene with Diane Lane.

For a serious take - I know Judge Dredd has a very loyal follwing in the comic world, and the series as a whole is extremely dark. I can imagine that if they get the "feel" of the Judge Dredd universe down, it could be decent, if not good. The first was just WAY over the top campy, even for me. If they're going to remake Disney's The Black Hole, I guess that this was inevitable. I do like Karl Urban, though.

[Buck]

I still don't know how to use the 3 shells...oh wait wrong movie.

[Buck]

Originally Posted by Bowser

They're remaking this turd? LOL

That would be like calling Batman Begins or The Dark Knight a remake...

Its a comic book so it doesn't need to be called a remake or sequel.

[Tribal Warfare]

JUDGE DREDD Creator John Wagner Comments on New Film, DREDD

In a rare interview with Judge Dredd comics creator, John Wagner, the writer reflected on the history of his creation and revealed just how excited he is for the new film, Dredd, starring Karl Urban (Star Trek). A British comic strip created by Wagner and artist Carlos Ezquerra for the sci-fi anthology “2000 AD,” Dredd was originally, according to Wagner:

Originally Posted by John Wagner

“a very two-dimensional character, a vehicle for extreme behavior in an extreme society, more of a robot than a man. Today he’s more rounded, more human, a man capable of introspection, of questioning his own beliefs.”

“Two-dimensional” would be a kind description for the previous feature: the 1995 Judge Dredd starring Sylvester Stallone. Wagner gave his thoughts on that performance, as well as why he’s looking forward to the new version. Hit the jump for much more.

HeroComplex recently held the interview with Wagner and it can be read in its entirety here. He had a lot to say concerning the history of the character and how he’s changed over the years, as well as what he would have changed storywise. Regarding the Stallone-version of Judge Dredd, Wagner said the following:

Originally Posted by John Wagner

“They told the wrong story — it didn’t have that much to do with Dredd the character as we know him. I don’t think Stallone was a bad Dredd, though it would have been better and lent him more cred if he hadn’t revealed his face. He was just Dredd in the wrong story. I envy their budget, though. Some of the CGI was very good, and the re-creations of the Angel Gang and the robot. The robot actually came from a [Judge Dredd editor] Pat Mills story and didn’t belong in Dredd, but it looked good. If the plot had revolved around characters like them the film would have been more successful.”

Now, compare that to what he’s saying about the Urban-version:

Originally Posted by John Wagner

“The plot is about Dredd and his world. It’s impossible to cover every aspect of the character and his city – perhaps that was one of the failings of the first film; they tried to do too much and ended up with not a lot. Dredd homes in on the essential job of judging – instant justice in a violent future city. I like the actors, they’re well cast and they handled their parts well. Olivia Thirlby (Juno) is perfect as Anderson, the young psi judge. She gives the character a touching vulnerability. Karl Urban will not remove his helmet and will not kiss his costar.”

Here’s the official synopsis for Dredd:

DREDD takes us to the wild streets of Mega City One, the lone oasis of quasi-civilization on Cursed Earth. Judge Dredd (Karl Urban) is the most feared of elite Street Judges, with the power to enforce the law, sentence offenders and execute them on the spot – if necessary. The endlessly inventive mind of writer Alex Garland and the frenetic vision of director Peter Travis bring DREDD to life as a futuristic neo-noir action film that returns the celebrated character to the dark, visceral incarnation from John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra’s revered comic strip.

[jspchief]

Comic book to movie. How original.

I'm on the edge my seat awaiting another movie with a bigger CGI budget than plot budget.

[whoman69]

Originally Posted by jspchief

Comic book to movie. How original.

I'm on the edge my seat awaiting another movie with a bigger CGI budget than plot budget.

This is one of the best comic books of all-time. Dredd was a great character thoroughly underdone by Stallone. Its not often that a cult classic is sucessful by trying the blockbuster approach. If you haven't read Judge Dredd you really need to.

[jspchief]

Originally Posted by whoman69

This is one of the best comic books of all-time. Dredd was a great character thoroughly underdone by Stallone. Its not often that a cult classic is sucessful by trying the blockbuster approach. If you haven't read Judge Dredd you really need to.

Intredasting. The movie still has a 99% chance of being trash.

[Fish]

The first one was some awesome cheese... Corny as hell but entertaining.

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