If there was a song title that succinctly summed up the collective Dredd fans’ point-of-view on a possible sequel, it would be Journey’s "Don’t Stop Believing." Because dammit, we want to see this thing get made! Does it matter what storyline the filmmakers end up going with? Not really, as long as an actual storyline exists. And according to the sneering Judge himself, Karl Urban, there’s a very specific section of Judge Dredd’s history that may make its way to the big screen, assuming DNA Films & Co. quits taking SLO-MO and starts putting some pieces together.
Appearing at the Chicago Comic-Con recently, Urban was asked by ShallowGraves if any of the dark judges would possibly be making their way into Dredd 2. Instead of giving the usual "Sign the petition and we’re hoping this thing gets made," response, Urban actually drops an incredibly insightful nugget about where a sequel may take our brooding hero.
Why yes, there is a definite possibility. But, it is more likely that we will do the Origins story with Dredd trekking through the cursed Earth to find the first Chief Judge Fargo."
The story Urban is referring to is an extensive Judge Dredd storyline from the comic 2000 A.D., in which the series' history is unveiled largely through flashbacks. A mysterious box arrives in Mega-City One that holds the DNA of Judge Fargo, the founder of the Judge system, who was believed to have died many decades previous. The DNA comes with a ransom note demanding a huge sum for the return of Fargo’s body. Dredd’s history with Fargo gets part of the focus as he heads out to track him down, and it’s quite different from their relationship in 1995’s Judge Dredd, in which Fargo was played by Max von Sydow.
This is honestly the kind of storyline that could be stretched into two or three films, should the producers want to do that. But even if it’s just one 80-minute-long movie, give us Dredd 2! Having only earned $35 million worldwide on a $50 million budget, Pete Travis' Dredd didn’t exactly inspire immediate sequel ideas, but massive Blu-ray/DVD sales, continued word-of-mouth and a vocal fanbase have kept sequel rumors alive for almost two years now, despite very little action being taken by anyone to move things along.
Does Urban’s update mean that someone is shaping story outlines on the backs of napkins and take-out menus? Or is it even less official than that? Will Olivia Thirlby be back as Anderson? Check back with us in about a decade and we might have those answer for you.
