2012's Dredd may not have been a financial success, but did receive a positive reception, and Karl Urban's take on the character still deserves a sequel. Taking place in a post-apocalyptic city in the year 2080, Dredd follows a powerful law enforcement officer who has the ability to play the roles of judge, jury, and executioner. Dredd is based on the British comic book series Judge Dredd, which was previously adapted into the 1995 movie.
Although the Judge Dredd movie starring Sylvester Stallone was universally panned, a 2012 reboot starring Karl Urban fared much better, with overall consensus maintaining that the updated version was superior in almost every way. Over a decade later, no Dredd sequels have come to fruition, but the series originally had expansive plans for follow-ups. Dredd should still return for a sequel, no matter how long has passed since the first film.
Why It's Not Too Late For Dredd 2
Although over a decade has passed since the first Dredd, there is still a possibility Dredd 2 could happen. Upon release, Dredd was a box office failure, making $41 million on a budget of $30-45 million. However, Dredd has gained a serious cult following since then, becoming more popular as the years have passed. There are still plenty of stories to tell for Dredd, and with a bigger following than ever, Dredd 2 starring Karl Urban could definitely still be on the cards. Developing a sequel to a box office failure years later is not unheard of, as TRON: Legacy did exactly that almost 30 years after the original TRON.
Another big reason Dredd 2 remains plausible is the popularity of everyone involved with the film growing immensely post-release. Karl Urban's profile has increased considerably since 2012, with the actor appearing in Thor: Ragnarok and starring in The Boys, while producer and disputed director Alex Garland has made acclaimed films like Ex Machina and Annihilation. The combined star power of Karl Urban and Alex Garland may be just enough to finally get Dredd 2 made, as the Judge Dredd: Superfiend animated series and comic book continuation of the movie's story have kept interest in the franchise alive, despite Dredd's box office failure.
Dredd 2 Set Up An Even Better Sequel
While Dredd was great in its own right, the film set up an even better story for Dredd 2. The Karl Urban 2012 Dredd reboot was meant to start a Judge Dredd trilogy, although these plans never actually came to fruition. Alex Garland (via Digital Spy) has teased all kinds of future Dredd storylines that would have been in the sequels. Initially, Dredd 2 was going to be an origin story focusing on the beginnings of Judge Dredd and Mega-City One. Dredd 3 would have then introduced Dredd's arch-nemesis, Judge Death, and the Dark Judges - an exciting prospect for anyone familiar with the Judge Dredd comics.
Garland has also gone on to reveal that he toyed with Dredd 3 covering the "Democracy" storyline. This story is often considered to be the best of Judge Dredd, focusing on the morality of Dredd and his authoritarian role in society. If Dredd 2 and 3 had ever happened, they would have also introduced the villainous Chief Judge Cal and the anti-fascist graffiti artist Chopper. There are so many exciting potential storylines that could have been explored in the Dredd trilogy, but none have happened yet. There is still a possibility that they could in the future.
What Karl Urban & Others Have Said About Dredd 2
There has been a surprising amount said by Karl Urban and others regarding Dredd 2, some of which raise hopes for a potential sequel. Karl Urban said he would play Judge Dredd again if given the opportunity, most recently reestablishing his interest in a sequel in August 2022. Alex Garland has said that a direct Dredd sequel is unlikely, although there have been rumors of some other type of continuation.
In May 2017, a TV series titled Judge Dredd: Mega-City One was announced, potentially following up on Urban's comments about continuing Dredd with a streaming series. Later that year, Karl Urban announced that he was in discussions to star, although that is the last that has been heard about the show. However, Judge Dredd: Mega-City One was never officially canceled, with an entire studio being set up in order to produce the series. Even if Dredd 2 never happens, it seems likely that the story of 2012's Dredd could be continued in a TV series.