After two unsuccessful attempts at making a sustainable film series out of Judge Dredd, IM Global Television and Rebellion Productions are taking a stab at bringing the feared law-enforcer and his dystopian reality to the small screen with Judge Dredd: Mega-City One. While there’s still much to learn about the upcoming sci-fi series, we can at least confirm that 2000 AD writer Rob Williams has completed the show’s pilot script.
Speaking at the San Diego Comic-Con, producer Brian Jenkins assured us that things are coming along smoothly with the series, saying:
“It’s been really exciting to be working with Rob on the pilot. We have a really talented team here at Rebellion Productions and I’m really proud of them. Jason and I have been busy looking at locations and laying out season one as we gear up, to move forward into pre-production.”
Executive producer Jason Kingsley shared in his colleague’s optimism and had some enthusiastic words to say about the new script, stating the following:
“I’ve read the pilot script by Rob and the team, and got that same thrill I did when I first discovered Judge Dredd. As we drive this project forward I’m always surprised by how much effort goes on behind-the-scenes to bring something like Mega-City One to the screen. I’m very pleased with how the whole project is coming together and looking forward to more exciting announcements in the coming months.”
Judge Joseph Dredd has an unfortunate history when it comes to making the jump to live action. The 1995 blockbuster, starring Sylvester Stallone, was a flop with critics and didn’t fair much better at the box office. 2012’s Dredd, on the other hand, proved to be a brutally effective thriller that bombed nonetheless, though the film has since developed a cult following via home release.
While the recent talk is that Dredd lead Karl Urban could have a role in Judge Dredd: Mega-City One, you can expect some solid information to come your way as the show moves into pre-production.