News Judge Dredd: Mega City One: IN DEVELOPMENT

Doctor Omega

Member: Rank 10
Urban Wanted For “Dredd” TV Series

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Earlier this week came the announcement that “Judge Dredd: Mega-City One” was in development, a live-action TV series adaptation of the famed 2000AD comics property.

An officer of the law in a dystopian future where he has the power of judge, jury, and executioner, Dredd has been played onscreen by Sylvester Stallone in the poorly-reviewed 1995 film “Judge Dredd,” and Karl Urban in the well-regarded and slowly achieving cult states 2012 film “Dredd”.

IM Global Television is behind the new TV project with Brian Jenkins set to produce and Jason Kingsley and Mark Stern to executive produce. All three appeared on the 2000AD Thrill-Cast this week and Jenkins has hinted that those on the series hope to get Urban involved again.

“We have had many conversations prior to this, about all sorts of things. He’s also very busy, a full-time professional actor. So we’re going to have some long and complicated conversations I would imagine, and we’ll see where we go.

It’s too early to tell yet, but if we can use him and he’s available to us, then I think that would be absolutely brilliant. There’s always a possibility he will be busy, or that his schedule for other movies won’t allow – basically, we don’t know at this stage.”

Previously, Urban has said he’d like to revisit the character, but that was for a potential film sequel whereas a TV series commitment – even in the shorter episode cable/streaming runs of episodes that are common these days – is different altogether.

The story of the series follows a team of Judges as they encounter various challenges of a world in which east-coast cities have merged into a giant megalopolis.

No network or casting has been announced yet for the series which is expected to debut in late 2018.
 

Doctor Omega

Member: Rank 10
“Dredd” TV Series “At Least Two Years Away”


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Earlier this year came word that a “Judge Dredd” TV series is in the works titled “Judge Dredd: Mega City One” and based in part on the original 2000 AD comic strip of the same name.

Franchise producer Jason Kingsley was recently asked by SFX Magazine (via GamesRadar) how development on the project is going. He indicates that things are moving along, but it will take some time to get everything together considering the scope of the show:

“Long-form storytelling makes showing Mega-City One and its inhabitants much easier. Trying to fit all of that into a two-hour movie is very hard. My best guess is that it’s at least two years away. But we’re so early in the process that things could happen a bit faster, or much more slowly.”

Kingsley quickly followed up that remark with a comment about the tone of the series:

“Dark fantasy elements are one area that would be great to explore. The show will combine the macabre with the insane and the light-hearted. It’s a big place, after all, with 400 million stories to tell.”

The property was previously adapted to film in 1995 with Sylvester Stallone in the role, and more recently in 2012 with Karl Urban in the part. There’s already a push by fans to get Urban back in the part, but casting on the show remains a long way off from the sounds of it.
 

Gavin

Member: Rank 6
VIP
A series seems a much more natural place for this character than a movie. The longer (and slower) narrative gives time to explore a variety of societal themes that are relevant to the character, as well as plenty of room for action.
 

Doctor Omega

Member: Rank 10
'INSANE' JUDGE DREDD TV SERIES MAY INCLUDE 'DARK FANTASY ELEMENTS'

"The show will combine the macabre with the insane and the light-hearted."


Rebellion CEO Jason Kingsley recently shared a few details about the Judge Dredd TV series, saying he'd love to see it explore "dark fantasy elements."

In addition, Kingsley told SFX Magazine (via GamesRadar) the series "will combine the macabre with the insane and the light-hearted." He added, "[Mega-City One's] a big place, after all, with 400 million stories to tell."

Kingsley also addressed how the TV format will allow for a new type of storytelling within the Judge Dredd universe, saying, "Long-form storytelling makes showing Mega-City One and its inhabitants much easier. Trying to fit all of that into a two-hour movie is very hard."

However, Kingsley was sure to keep fans' expectations in check regarding the series' air date: "My best guess is that it's at least two years away," he said. "But we're so early in the process that things could happen a bit faster, or much more slowly."

Officially announced last month, Judge Dredd: Mega-City One will follow a team of futuristic cops called Judges who "encounter the myriad challenges of a world in which east-coast cities have merged into a giant megalopolis." The series is being developed by IM Global Television and Rebellion.

While the companies have yet to discuss casting, Kingsley acknowledged fans' requests for Karl Urban to reprise his role as the titular character, saying he knows the actor "well enough to have a chat with him."
 

ant-mac

Member: Rank 9
So, does that mean that, "There are eight million stories in the naked city. This has been one of them." will now become, "There are four hundred million stories in Mega-City One - and I killed every last one of them…" :emoji_confused:
 

Doctor Omega

Member: Rank 10
In some alternative timeline, it wasn't DREDD that became the most popular strip in those early 2000AD comic (that I still own).



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How I long for tv and film adaptions of....



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The 23rd century is hungry, so they travel back in time and package the dinosaurs up as meat for the future, hence why they became extinct!



 
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Doctor Omega

Member: Rank 10
He is also a male polar bear in the orginal.

I know that, because it often said "He ate the helicoptor pilot" and stuff like that in the text bits of the comic.

A female Shako would be a shock.

But I guess I would get used to it.

Nobody would listen to me anyway..
I'm just a Shako fan. :emoji_confused:
 

ant-mac

Member: Rank 9
He is also a male polar bear in the orginal.

I know that, because it often said "He ate the helicoptor pilot" and stuff like that in the text bits of the comic.

A female Shako would be a shock.

But I guess I would get used to it.

Nobody would listen to me anyway..
I'm just a Shako fan. :emoji_confused:
Would it help you to know that the original creator thought Shako should have a change of gender as far back as the 1980s?
 

Doctor Omega

Member: Rank 10
The Visible Man


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Taking part in a dumb experiment where they hid the small print from him, he broke out of the lab and eventually stole a NASA rocket and flew off into space at the end. fed up of humanity's treatment of him.

Not sure how many seasons of a tv show they could squeeze out of this one though. :emoji_confused:

Shako was a bit limited in that respect too. SHAKO Series 7 seems unlikely. :emoji_confused:



 
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Doctor Omega

Member: Rank 10
Karl Urban In Talks For “Dredd” TV Series


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Though lost at the box-office, time has been kind to 2012’s “Dredd”. Critics liked it but unfairly compared it to the similarly premised “The Raid” which had opened only a few months before, but actually began production after “Dredd” wrapped principal photography.

As the years have passed and comparisons of the two have been forgotten, “Dredd” has gone on to nab a cult audience all its own thanks to a lean and mean screenplay by “Ex Machina” and “Sunshine” writer Alex Garland, solid direction from Pete Travis, and a welcome grumbly performance from Karl Urban as Judge Dredd.

Urban has mentioned several times that he is very interested in making a sequel, but those in charge turned down the script for a potential second chapter. Then a few months ago came word that the franchise was being rebooted again, this time as an event series titled “Judge Dredd: Mega City One”.

At the time those involved said they would love to have Urban involved, but there was no word if he was interested. Well the man himself, appearing at the Star Trek Las Vegas Convention last week, has been quoted as saying he’s more than interested – in fact, they’ve already talked quite seriously about it:

“I am in discussions with them about that, I told them that if they write the material and give Dredd something to do and give him a function, I will be there. I would love to.”

The series is expected to be more an ensemble drama that follows a team of Judges as they encounter the challenges in a world in which east-coast cities have merged into a giant megalopolis. “Judge Dredd: Mega-City One” is currently planning to film next year ahead of a 2019 launch.
 
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