On the eve of Comic Con, Rich Johnston at Bleeding Cool has allowed us a sneak peak at one of the many scoops that are sure to come our way. Think of it like Christmas Eve, when you are allowed to open just one present.
Johnston says Karl Urban is about to be offered the lead role in Judge Dredd 3D, DNA Films’ $45 million reboot of the satirical 2000 AD comic anti-hero that we heard yesterday was being setup as ‘Die Hard taking place within the world of Blade Runner’.
Oh we can dig that! We loved his McCoy in Star Trek last year, and he’s always turned in good work in his action roles. Give me Urban any day over a bigger, growlier Ray Stevenson type.
This reboot will shoot in South Africa in the fall with the intention of it being closer to it’s gritty, edgier roots – over the ludicrous, mid 90′s Sylvester Stallone vehicle. Think John Carpenter’s Escape From New York, and it needed a hell of an actor to play the lead as their greatest tool (their eyes) won’t be visible behind a mask we are assured will never be removed. Thankfully.
Although I have huge reservations about director Pete Travis (Vantage Point) – he will be working from a script by a top tier sci-fi writer in Alex Garland (28 Days Later, Sunshine). Your thoughts on Urban and Dredd…
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4 Comments
The same actor who embodies ‘Bones’ McCoy in Star Trek is not also Judge Dredd. A part like that is as much about shape and stature as it is about presence and attitude. Say what you want about Judge Dredd 1995, but there was nothing wrong with putting Sylvester Stallone in the role (don’t get me started on Rob Schneider, though). It’s funny you mention Ray Stevenson Matt, because he would be a good fit for Dredd’s uniform, figuratively and literally. If only Ron Perlman had a little less mileage on him. By rights, it should be somebody from the UK this time, if you ask me.
Everyone seems to be flipping out that it wasn’t given to Gerard Butler. I am surprised they aren’t going for a U.K. actor but Aussie/Kiwi’s as Brits is starting to become a common thing now after Russell Crowe’s Robin Hood.
Count me as unimpressed big time. Why not come up with an ORIGINAL idea for a screenplay. What’s all this Die Hard, Escape From New York stuff?
It’s depressing. Dredd has a 33 year backstory of material but Garland has to take from action movies like Die Hard? Any chance a bit of common sense can prevail and someone can write an IMAGINATIVE screenplay, not one ripping off old 1980s films.
And MA-MA sounds a dreadful name for the main villain. Oh boy.
The whole thing is pathetic. Dredd is the best sci-fi comic character ever and everyone is saying it’s Die Hard meets Blade Runner. Great if you’re back in the 1980s but it’s 2010! I want to see an ORIGINAL STORY.
It’s pathetic. Please God, someone stop this sad film ever happening. End of rant.