New Judge Dredd Movie Universe Announced With Former Marvel Director and Writer Attached

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After a 13-year hiatus since Karl Urban’s “Dredd” emerged as an unexpected cult favorite, a fresh take on the Judge Dredd franchise is underway – but this isn’t “Dredd 2”. Instead, the reins have been handed to director Taika Waititi, famous for helming Marvel’s “Thor: Ragnarok” and its sequel, “Thor: Love and Thunder”. With much anticipation surrounding his future franchise project, fans are intrigued as there’s been minimal progress on the Star Wars film he’s long been linked to. Surprisingly, Waititi has chosen a Judge Dredd movie as his next venture, which undeniably stirs up lots of curiosity about what’s in store for this iconic character.

As a die-hard movie enthusiast, I can’t hide my excitement that Drew Pearce is penning the script for the upcoming Judge Dredd reboot! With his impressive resume, which includes writing for blockbusters like Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, Iron Man 3, Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw, and more recently The Fall Guy, he seems tailor-made for this project. The Dredd rights holders, Chris Kingsley, Jason Kingsley, and Ben Smith, are all on board, producing via their venture Rebellion Developments. Roy Lee of Vertigo Entertainment, Jeremy Platt, Natalie Viscuso, and none other than Drew Pearce himself are also producers for this project. Can’t wait to see what he brings to the table!

THR highlights that Taika Waititi and Drew Pearce, long-time friends, have been searching for a project to collaborate on; their mutual affection for Judge Dredd comics appears to be the link they’ve been seeking. It’s hard for fans not to draw parallels: Waititi is also close with actor Karl Urban, who starred in the 2012 film ‘Dredd’, and has consistently expressed his desire to reprise the role – a possibility that this project seems to offer. Since Urban’s portrayal of the character remained faithful to the comics by never revealing his face onscreen (unlike Sylvester Stallone in the ’90s film), it would be smooth for him to come back to the role, after all these years.

The character of Judge Dredd, initially introduced in the 1977 British comic anthology titled 2000 A.D., was developed by writers John Wagner and artists Carlos Ezquerra. Over time, this character grew popular enough to receive its own series during the 1990s. Set in a grim future marked by widespread lawlessness, Judge Dredd takes place within pockets of civilization that are maintained through a stern system of justice. In this world, judges serve as both police officers, lawyers, and judges simultaneously. Judge Dredd is a seasoned and unyielding officer who is known for his strict adherence to the law, earning him a reputation as one of the most rigorous and merciless enforcers of justice.

The initial purpose of the Dredd character and the 2000 A.D. comic was to mock the leaning towards authoritarian policing ideas in both British and American cultures, a topic which has become highly contentious now. Given Taika Waititi’s satirical style demonstrated in his Academy Award-winning film Jojo Rabbit (2019), it’s intriguing to consider what he and Pearce might do with a Judge Dredd movie. So far, we know that the plan draws inspiration more from the comics than previous screen adaptations, and is being marketed as a lighthearted sci-fi blockbuster with relevance to today’s cultural climate. Additionally, it’s been mentioned that this film will serve as the starting point for a potential “Dredd universe” that could expand into multiple films and television series.

We’ll keep you updated on the development of the new Judge Dredd film as it comes out.

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2025-07-18 00:15