Despite critics missing the boat by giving the film mixed reviews, and its complete failing at the box-office, (Alex Garland’s) "Dredd" has become a cult classic over time with a loyal fanbase due to home-video, VOD and streaming.
“Dredd” was written by Alex Garland, a screenwriter who burst into the scene writing Danny Boyle movies in the early aughts. I also can't fail to mention Karl Urban ("Star Trek Beyond) who played the titular character.
There have been numerous fan petitions over the years calling for a sequel, most notably "Bring Back Dredd," which gathered more than 300,000 signatures. A few years back, rumors pointed towards the sequel being back in development. Last we had heard, a series named “Judge Dredd: Mega-City One” was announced to be in development by IM Global Television and Rebellion — Urban was reportedly attached.
This week, I attempted to inquire about the status of the sequel, whether it’d be the film or TV series, and reached out to various different contacts. Based on what I’ve gathered, backed up by multiple sources, the idea of any kind of sequel to “Dredd” happening has “practically evaporated.” I was even told that in 2022 producers reached out to Netflix to see if they would want to back the project and the streamer declined.
It doesn’t help that, although initially onboard for the sequel, Urban has now found success starring in Amazon’s “The Boys,” which has complicated matters for “Dredd” producers. There were also attempts to lure Alex Garland into helming the sequel, but the interest wasn’t reciprocated, and he quickly declined the offer.
A few years back, Urban had confirmed (via JoBlo), that director Peter Travis didn't actually direct “Dredd,” but rather Garland himself, who took the reigns during the troubled production — it’s one of the more famous cases of ghost directing in Hollywood.
"Dredd" was a reboot of "Judge Dredd," a ‘90s action movie starring Sylvester Stallone. It was an unequivocal improvement upon the original. "Dredd" was a visionary film, boosted by Paul Leonard's exalting techno soundtrack which gave the film an avant-garde edginess that fit perfectly with the dark glittery atmosphere. This was a film that felt incredibly singular in its vision. Sometimes, it’s better not to have a sequel and just let the original stand on its own.
Edward Berger seems to have settled on what comes next. His Lance Armstrong biopic, starring Austin Butler, is now holding casting calls, with production eyed for January.