Karl Urban is still willing to reprise his titular role from the 2012 film Dredd in the upcoming TV-series Judge Dredd: Mega-City One. Judge Dredd was introduced to the world by British sci-fi comics, 2000 AD's eponymous comic-strip in 1977. Set in a futuristic, dystopian United States, the Judge Dredd comics narrated the chronicles of its appellative hero against an East Coast metropolis setting. Mega-City One, the metropolis in question, was a lawless conurbation and home to 800 million people. The only law-enforcement officers there were the 'street judges' who arrested and adjudicated criminals. The comics' hero, Joseph Dredd, was one such judge, who later became the subject of two films that were spawned off the franchise.
In 1995, Sylvester Stallone led the first Judge Dredd film, but the movie was a box-office flop and was panned for being unfaithful to the comics. Later, in 2012, a new Judge Dredd movie was released, starring Urban as Dredd and Olivia Thirlby as Dredd's psychic apprentice, Cassandra Anderson. The film depicted Dredd's quest to bring order to a 200-story high-rise building that was corrupted by its resident drug-lord Ma-Ma (Lena Headey). Dredd was hailed by critics, but its lackluster performance prevented Lionsgate from warranting a sequel. Dredd's premium-VOD viewers manifested renewed interest in the franchise and subsequently, their campaigns-for-revival prompted producers IM Global and Rebellion to announce a Dredd TV adaptation, Judge Dredd: Mega-City One, which is now written and ready to go.
In a recent interview with Screen Geek, Urban updated fans on his involvement in Judge Dredd: Mega-City One. According to Urban, he is keen to return for the Judge Dredd TV-series, which is being developed by the prolific Rebellion CEO Jason Kingsley. Urban is enthusiastic about Kingsley's attachment to the series, as he believes that working with him and his team would be a gratifying experience. Urban has also mentioned that there is"a plethora of great, great stories within the Judge Dredd universe" that can be exploited for the show. Urban can't confirm his return but did reveal that if he gets the opportunity, "you can bet your bottom dollar" he'll be there.
Urban is currently headlining Amazon Prime's critically-acclaimed dark superhero-comedy The Boys. However, his commitment to the show and to other projects hasn't stopped him from being available for a Judge Dredd TV-reboot. This isn't the first instance of Urban expressing his willingness to be a part of Judge Dredd: Mega-City One. Urban was reportedly already in talks for the show when it was first announced in 2017, but the discussions never materialized. Then in 2018, Urban stated that he was still interested in doing the show, given that an opportunity is extended to him. And now, again in 2020, Urban has reiterated his eagerness for putting on the mask of justice.
It is clear that Judge Dredd: Mega-City One, which will focus on more characters besides its titular hero, will have plenty of great stories to choose from. Since the show is happening so long after the release of its cinematic counterpart however, it will require significant reinvention. Urban's acting chops are undoubtedly an asset for the Judge Dredd series, but since he is playing a similar part in his current outing on The Boys, Urban's talents may not distinctively shine in Mega-City One. Because of this, Urban is better fitted for a cameo in the upcoming series as a full-fledged lead role may feel too redundant.
Source: Screen Geek