Posted in: Movies | Tagged: dredd, dredd 2, Karl Urban

Karl Urban Says He'd Be Still Happy to Return for a Dredd Sequel

The star of the cult classic sci-fi film Dredd reveals that he's still open to returning for a sequel story.

Judge Dredd has been a fixture of British comics for decades, first appearing in 2000 AD in 1977 as a brutal, satirical lawman built for a dystopia where justice is immediate and often cruel. The character has had a few attempts at live action too, but the version that really stuck with modern genre fans was 2012's Dredd, a lean, hard-edged action sci-fi film that felt ahead of its time in how stripped down and unapologetically violent it was, especially for a comic adaptation in that era. And for years, that reputation has kept sequel talk alive, even as nothing concrete ever materialized.

Now Karl Urban is adding fresh fuel to that conversation.

Dredd Star is Still Open to a Return

In a new interview with The Playlist, he made it clear he would return without hesitation, saying, "I would love to reprise that role in a heartbeat. I really would. I had so much fun making that movie." He also emphasized that he mostly just wants the franchise to continue, adding, "If I'm not part of it, then I'm all good with it. I just want to see more Dredd stories."

If you need a quick refresher on why the 2012 movie still has such a hold on people, the setup is basically a siege film in futuristic riot armor. Judge Dredd is paired with rookie Judge Anderson, a powerful psychic, and they head into Peach Trees, a massive high-rise block controlled by drug lord Ma-Ma, only to get trapped inside when the building seals and the residents are offered a bounty for their deaths. The film keeps the scope tight and the stakes clear, then lets the tension escalate floor by floor.

That focused approach earned the movie strong critical support, with Rotten Tomatoes currently listing an 80% percent critics' score, and audience numbers nearly mirroring it. However, the box office was a different story. During its run, the film only managed to rake in roughly $41 million (just under its budget), which made a direct follow-up a tough sell at the time. Still, the movie's fanbase has only grown louder over the years, which is why Urban's comments still offer us a glimmer of hope.

The last meaningful update on where the wider Dredd franchise stands came in mid-2025, when Taika Waititi was reported to be attached to direct a new Judge Dredd film with Drew Pearce writing, with the aim of leaning into the comic's tone and building out a larger Dredd universe across film and television. Still, nothing is promised, and Urban's involvement in any future version remains an open question. But between a reboot effort that is already in motion and the star of the cult favorite saying he is ready whenever they are, the odds of more Dredd stories feel better than they have in a long time.

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