A healthy gathering of folk have decided that everyone’s favorite stoney-faced lawman deserves another shot. An ongoing petition and full out campaign has been raging for months now in an effort to try and convince the industry big wigs to pursue making a sequel to the Judge Dredd comic book movie adaption simply titled Dredd. Today (September 18th) has been dubbed the “day of action” referring to a coincidence of the release of this month’s Judge Dredd Magazine and the newest 2000AD prog and supporters of the cause are calling out for individuals to buy copies of the DVD, Blu-Ray, and stream Dredd on Netflix in an effort to keep it on the bestselling charts. The entire fiasco is being referred to as #MakeDreddASequel.To clarify, this isn't your Sylvester Stallone with his infamous lip quivering, spittle spewing ,“I am the law” 1995 disaster. This Dredd, dutifully portrayed by Star Trek famed actor Karl Urban, is a no-holds-barred cage fight for the Mega-City One enforcer and a superior film in every way. Personally, I didn't think that Urban had the chin for the position, but his gruff disposition came out in spades and more than made up for his lack of jaw. The film itself is a dumbed down sci-fi, action flick that gets straight to the action and suits the Judge’s take no prisoners personality just fine. Accompanied by rookie Judge Anderson, played by the lovely Olivia Thirlby, the duo take on an entire apartment building worth of stooges to get to Ma-Ma, a drug-dealing doozy, and bring her to justice.
The comic book Dredd is published by Rebellion in their weekly magazine 2000AD and has been an ongoing title since 1977. Rebellion, which is a UK owned and operated company, does most of their business on that side of the Atlantic with their core audience residing in the UK and South Africa. In 1990 a dedicated Judge Dredd Magazine started printing and other incarnations followed including a number of DC spin-offs, a Judge Dredd/Aliens and Predator crossover and even a tussle with Marvel's Punisher. Most recently IDW has started their own Judge Dredd run featuring a young Dredd in his first year of law enforcement.
From his inception, Judge Dredd has been the faceless symbol of justice. He is an incorruptible force of righteousness executing swift and merciless sentencing to all who oppose the peace and well-being of Mega-City One. Dredd has been written as both ruthless and at times ultra-violent, but has never deviated from the lawful path even when it’s the law that stands in his way. He is one of the few characters in history to claim such virtuoso. The most striking thing about him though is the fact that the character is written as existing in real time. That is to say, time passes in our world at the same pace as in 2000AD’s Judge Dredd strip which would put Judge Dredd as being over 70 years old! Pretty spry for an old timer.
Currently the petition for #MakeDreddASequel stands at 80,000 strong which is an outstanding number showing how the film’s cult following and geek community can come together to accomplish big things. Rebellion and 2000AD invite everyone who supports the cause to head here and sign the petition. Ideas have been thrown around already about a possible new threat for Judge Dredd in the film-verse and even Karl Urban has voiced a desire to see the lawman go against the terrible Dark Judges. With this much hype behind it, how could the studios not make a sequel?
If you show an affinity for old stoney-face then drop me a line and don’t forget to run out to the store and pick yourself up a copy of Dredd on DVD or Blu-Ray, or if you are like me and already own it, try watching it on Netflix tonight and lend us geeks a hand.
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