It’s been a few months since we heard anything about the new version of Judge Dredd, which had been trundling along under the auspices of Andrew McDonald’s DNA Films with Alex Garland writing the script. Now it looks like Vantage Point/Omagh director Pete Travis is on board to direct.
Deadline noted that the film is being shopped at this year’s Cannes festival and is boasting a thrifty, sub-$50 million budget, which does make us wonder whether that’ll be enough to bring a proper take on Dredd’s Mega City setting to life. But with funding from Reliance Big Entertainment, and assuming they lock in some decent studio backing, this one has a chance of being better than the awful 1995 Sylvester Stallone effort. But then, a film made with action figures by a kid in a garden has a shot at that.
While DNA Films has a deal with Fox, Dredd won’t be made with the studio involved, but it will – apparently – show up in 3D. Just, y'know, let's hope he keeps his hat on this time, eh?