Karl Urban Is In For ‘Dredd,’ And He Just Pressed Netflix, Amazon About It
Karl Urban will next be featured on the big screen in his third outing as Dr. Bones McCoy in Star Trek Beyond; but there is another iconic character that he wants to revisit, and he’s just put out a full-court press to Netflix and Amazon to make it happen.
That role is Judge Dredd, which he brought to life with 2012’s more simply titled Dredd feature film.
While the movie itself was a box office disappointment, it joined that rare club of movies like Office Space and the original Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery that would see greater life on the home video market and develop a cult following.
Karl Urban was a big reason for that. Unlike Sylvester Stallone, who brought the character to life (sort of) in the critical misfire Judge Dredd, Urban captured the cold, mechanical sense of justice that is found in the comic.
The film joined the pantheon of comic book adaptations that try to stick as closely to the source material as possible.
It has since been praised for it, but attempts to bring forth a Dredd 2 or a television series have been unsuccessful.
Karl Urban is now hoping to change that with this tweet that he sent out on April 21.
Dredd 2 : I’d do it!! @netflix or @Amazon. There’s a gold mine of Awesome Mega city 1 stories! https://t.co/5KeUAizPNS
— Karl Urban (@KarlUrban) April 21, 2016
The petition efforts and the blessing of Rebellion Developments (publisher) to see Dredd and the 2000 AD world in which he appears adapted in a continuation have helped, and Urban himself has previously made passing mention that he would enjoy reprising the role.
However, this move for a major star to call out Netflix and Amazon through his social media channels is an unprecedented boost for the property.
Either production house would be well-equipped to delve into this world through either a limited series or a sequel feature.
While fans were at first leaning towards sequel, they have since seen the possibilities of longer form storytelling and have jumped aboard the television series bandwagon.
That would equate to at least 10 episodes almost an hour in length, and with Netflix and Amazon not being as beholden to FCC broadcast regulations — which have slackened over the years anyway — there is a much better chance of getting the no-holds-barred version that is integral to faithfully bringing the universe to life.
The remaining question: which of the two streaming platforms would be better equipped to bring Dredd the series to life?
Of the two, Netflix and Amazon seem like the most worthy contenders. Netflix has experience in the comics adaptation environment with their current Marvel/Disney relationship, and the success they’ve experienced through Daredevil, both creatively and critically.
Amazon has yet to adapt a well-known comic property, but their sense of world building was alive and well in the well-reviewed The Man in the High Castle.
A dark horse contender would be Starz, which has quite a bit of positive experience with long form storytelling. Their Outlander — a property that appears in both novel form (its original) and comics — has been an undeniable success, and Ash vs. Evil Dead has been well-embraced, too.
AMC may also be an ideal contender. Their Walking Dead has hit the spot for horror and comic book fans, but the show has taken viewers on such a rollercoaster ride through six seasons and now receives mixed reviews though it remains pretty strong in the ratings.
When hourlong television series get past the five-season mark, they have been known to take a dip in quality. Should Walking Dead follow suit, Dredd could be a viable replacement. But what do you think, readers?
Where should Dredd end up, and is Karl Urban being too nearsighted in limiting his call to just Netflix and Amazon? Sound off in the comments section.
[Image via Dredd 2012 feature film]
