Taika Waititi, known for his work on Jojo Rabbit and two Thor movies, is set to direct a new feature film adaptation of the British comic book series “Judge Dredd,” per variety.com. Drew Pearce, screenwriter for Fall Guy and Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, will adapt the screenplay. The project is currently being shopped around Hollywood without a studio attached.
Judge Dredd, a character created in the 1970s by writer John Wagner and artist Carlos Ezquerra, is a law enforcement and judicial officer operating in the dystopian Mega-City One. The character, often serving as a satire of American and British culture, is empowered as judge, jury, and executioner in a fascist society and is recognized by his bionic eyes. Judge Dredd first appeared in the weekly British anthology comic 2000 AD.
The character previously made his big-screen debut in 1995’s Judge Dredd, starring Sylvester Stallone, which underperformed at the box office. A 2012 reboot, Dredd, led by Karl Urban, also struggled commercially despite receiving decent reviews. Judge Dredd has also been featured in multiple video game adaptations.
Waititi’s extensive directing credits include the Marvel Cinematic Universe films Thor: Ragnarok (2017) and Thor: Love and Thunder (2022). He won an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for Jojo Rabbit and also directed the sports comedy Next Goal Wins. Beyond film, Waititi co-created the TV series Reservation Dogs and directed episodes for Our Flag Means Death and the Disney+ series The Mandalorian. He is also attached to adapt “Klara and the Sun” into a feature film for Sony Pictures, starring Jenna Ortega and Amy Adams.
•Featured image by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures UK
