Despite its supremely modest box office draw here in the States, the 2012 take on Dredd has spent the past few years becoming a certified cult classic. The critically acclaimed update of the Judge Dredd universe, starring Karl Urban and Olivia Thirlby, has also remained the source of speculation for those hoping for a sequel. Thankfully, according to a thrilling update from io9, things are finally looking very good indeed for Dredd 2.
Urban stopped by the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo this weekend, a prime location to deliver some proper teasery about a Dredd sequel. When pressed about maybe giving Dredd another day as either a Netflix or Amazon production, Urban optimistically confirmed that conversations of a sequel series "are happening." Urban, as noted by io9, strongly hinted at a streaming platform future for Dredd's next chapter earlier this month with a quick hype-filled tweet:
Just last year, writer Alex Garland appeared to completely destroy all hopes for a Dredd continuation of any kind during an interview surrounding the release of Ex Machina. "There isn't, as far as I can tell, going to be a Dredd sequel," Garland said at the time, again according toio9. "The basic mechanics of film financing say that if you make a film that loses a ton of money, you're not going to get a sequel." According toBox Office Mojo, Dredd earned just over $35 million worldwide against an estimated budget of $50 million. That certainly reads like a loss, though it's worth mentioning that no one should ever underestimate the power and legacy of a cult classic. Snatch this one up, Netflix!
