10 Movies Everybody Wanted (But Nobody Watched)

It can't really be understated just how much people loathe 1995's Sylvester Stallone-starring Judge Dredd film, primarily due to Stallone's ego-driven decision to commit the cardinal sin of removing Dredd's helmet, as was never done in the comics.

But when a Dredd reboot was announced, comic book fans were giddy that Hollywood had a golden opportunity to get it right this time and redeem the property.

And yet, while 2012's Dredd received warmly positive reviews from critics, it bombed horribly at the box office, grossing just $41.5 million against a $45 million budget. That's barely one-third of what the Stallone film made 17 years earlier.

The blame was largely levelled at the movie's marketing, which placed a heavy emphasis on the 3D aspect, enough that it was actually titled "Dredd 3D." This implied a more kitschy slice of sci-fi schlock than the gritty, ultra-violent actioner that Dredd actually was.

Though Dredd has been a strong performer on home video and streaming, it's a damn shame that more comic book fans didn't support it theatrically, as would've actually made a sequel possible.

Given that there was a considerable uptick in the popularity of R-rated superhero films in the years following Dredd's release, things could've gone so differently with a few years' difference and a more confident, imaginative marketing campaign.