Taika Waititi, the Oscar-winning filmmaker of “Jojo Rabbit” and two “Thor” movies, has set sights on his next project.
He’s attached to direct “Judge Dredd,” a feature film about the British comic book character, Variety has confirmed. Drew Pearce, known for “Fall Guy” and “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation,” will adapt the screenplay. The project doesn’t have a studio attached and is being shopped around Hollywood.
Created in the 1970s by writer John Wagner and artist Carlos Ezquerra, Judge Dredd is a law enforcement and judicial officer in the dystopian metropolis of Mega-City One. Often a satire of American and British culture, the character has bionic eyes and is empowered to serve as judge, jury and executioner in the fascist society. He first appeared in the pages of the weekly British anthology comic “2000 AD.”
The character made his big-screen debut in 1995’s big-budget flop “Judge Dredd,” starring Sylvester Stallone. Judge Dredd appeared again in 2012’s Karl Urban-led reboot, “Dredd,” which also misfired at the box office despite decent reviews. He has also appeared in multiple video game adaptations.
Waititi has helmed a pair comic book tentpoles in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, 2017’s “Thor: Ragnarok” and 2022’s “Thor: Love and Thunder.” His other directing credits include “Jojo Rabbit,” for which he won the best adapted screenplay Oscar, and the feel-good sports comedy “Next Goal Wins.” Waititi also co-created the TV series “Reservation Dogs” and directed episodes of “Our Flag Means Death” and the Disney+ “Star Wars” spinoff “The Mandalorian.” He’s also on board to adapt the novel “Klara and the Sun” into a feature film starring Jenna Ortega and Amy Adams for Sony Pictures.
The Hollywood Reporter was first to report the “Judge Dredd” news.
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