Ever since Dredd, blew all of our tiny minds back in 2012, all of us Drokkers have been waiting patiently for a follow up. Sadly, because of a number of factors, including the all-too-familiar plot (The Raid) and competition at the cinema (Looper), a sequel is unlikely ever to happen. And then, like a bolt of lightening from the very heavens, the news hit that a TV series was in development, set in the Judge Dredd universe, called Mega-City One.
There isn’t a lot of news about the show. But with Judge Joseph Dredd leading the charge against the Muties, Dorids and Fatties of the titular location, this is probably going to end up being the sequel we’ve been waiting for.
So, without further ado, here’s what we know, and what we want to see in Mega-City One the TV series.
10. What We Know: Who’s Developing The Series?
At this early stage, all we know is that the TV series will be developed by 2000 AD themselves, which can only mean good things for the quality of the show. They will work alongside publisher Rebellion, and IM Global Television – the team behind the relaunched Battlestar Galactica, as well as Helix and Defiance.
9. What We Know: Where will the TV Series Be Airing?
No one network has yet come forward as the driving force behind the show, and that could easily be because it’s so early in the development stages that a network hasn’t even been approached. The rumor though, is that Mega-City One will debut on a streaming service, such as Netflix or Amazon Prime. Considering these two giants bin the streaming world have shows like Preacher and Stranger Things under their belts, Mega-City One is clearly in good hands either way.
8. What We Know: When Will Mega-City One Be Airing?
Bad news guys. We wont get to visit Mega-City One until at least 2019.
7. What We Want: Karl Urban As Judge Dredd
Over the course of two movies, Sylvester Stallone and Karl Urban have both tackled the role of Judge Joseph Dredd, Mega-City One’s toughest law man. If you were to ask 100 fans which actor they’d like to see reprise the role, we’re betting 99 of them would say Karl Urban. The other 1 is probably Jackie Stallone.
When asked about who they wanted as Dredd, the show’s producer Brian Jenkins said he was completely on-board with bringing Urban back. This is definitely good news, especially as Urban himself has stated on numerous occasions that he wants to return. Hell, he was as busy campaigning for a Dredd sequel as any of us.
6. What We Want: The Helmet Stays On.
You can’t have a discussion about Judge Dredd without entering into a heated debate over his famous helmet. Read into that what you will, but there simply has to be NO compromise. Dredd keeps the helmet on, or there’s no point.
Mega-City One will be a long running series (at least six seasons we’ve been lead to believe), and it’s going to be tempting to explore the private life of Dredd. That’s fine, but as soon as you take his helmet off then the majority of fans will not be able to concentrate on anything else.
If you really need to have Dredd take a shower, then simply keep his mug out of the shot.
5. What We Want: Mega Violence
Let’s not hold back guys. Mega-City One needs mega violence.
Dredd set the level for where the series needs to be aiming. If it ends up even close to Stallone’s effort, then we’re not tuning in. Simple.
4. What We Want: The Other Judges
As fans of the Judge Dredd comics know, the stories are not entirely concerned with The Dead Man. There are over 40 years worth of comics to draw upon, and in those stories are hundreds of other characters that are every bit as important as Joe Dredd.
The Dredd reboot in 2012 introduced us to Judge Anderson, a Psi-Judge who finds herself working alongside Dredd. She provided us with the heart and soul that we will never (and should never) get from her emotionless, stone cold partner. Anderson also has countless issues of her own adventures to draw from, and I think we can agree they’re pretty bloody great, even without the presence of Dredd. If Olivia Thirlby can reprise her role too, that would be even better.
We also want to see the likes of Dredd’s senior officer, Judge Hershey (Diane Lane in 1995’s Judge Dredd). There would be plenty of room to bring in characters like Judge Kraken or Rico Dredd too, or how about exploring the back story of someone like Chief Judge Fargo?
The point is, there’s simply too many interesting other characters to simply focus on the one Judge everyone knows.
3. What We Want: Mega-City One & Beyond
We can assume, that from the title of the show, Mega-City One will focus much of itself in … wait for it … Mega-City One. That makes sense. It’s the key location in most of the Judge Dredd story lines, and the home of the man himself. However, there’s a whole world to explore outside of M-C O, a literal post-apocalyptic wasteland with all manner of creatures and characters waiting to be explored.
2. What We Want: An Expanded Universe
Yes, we should simply be pleased that there’s one TV series, but if (when) it’s a success, whose to say that there can’t be other 2000 AD themed shows?
Strontium Dog, Rogue Trooper, Psi-Division, Banzai Battalion, and even Walter the Wobot, are all successful comic book spin offs. Any one of these could end up with their own TV show, although Strontium Dog, Psi-Division, and Rogue Trooper are the most likely contenders.
1. What We Want: The Dark Judges
If there had been the proposed trilogy of Dredd movies, writer/producer Alex Garland had intended to introduce a story arc that would eventually lead to the first ever on-screen appearance of Judge Death and The Dark Judges. It would have been something beautiful, given how well he handled the first installment, yet it was not meant to be.
So, from the ashes of the Dredd sequel, The Dark Judges can rise again, and make their presence felt in Mega-City One. Who doesn’t want to see Judge Death, Judge Fire, Judge Fear, and Judge Mortis – otherworldly Judges who see life as the ultimate crime – condemn the occupants of Mega-City One to their own brand of death? They are the perfect foil for Judge Dredd, because they can be killed but they will always come back, making them the perfect choice for the show’s recurring bad guys.
What do you guys want to see in the Judge Dredd TV show? Let us know in the comments!
