When ‘Dredd‘ was initially released, the film didn’t do that great at the box office but the home release expanded its audience. The majority of people who watched the film loved it. A petition was started to get a sequel and not only did the publisher support it but there was even a fan made follow up to the film.,

Well the fans have spoken and the creators have gotten together and made a sequel for us! The only problem is that I’m pretty sure most of us were looking forward to a sequel on film. Pete Travis and Alex Garland (‘Logan’s Run‘) did such a great job casting Karl Urban (‘Riddick‘) as Dredd, that he is clearly who we wanted to see more of. Sadly, the next installment that will follow what Dredd is up to will be on the printed page and not on the big screen.

Already released in the UK, ‘Dredd: Underbelly’ is soon to be published in the US by 2000AD and was created by Arthur Wyatt and Henry Flint. It was originally published in episodic format in UK’s Judge Dredd Magazine and will be released in both classic and digital form.

The editor of 2000AD, Matt Smith, had some insight on his take on the continuation:

“We’ve noted a real swell of U.S. interest in Dredd off the back of the film. This first foray for 2000 AD in producing a U.S.-format book, geared specifically to the [comic book] direct market, and aimed at satisfying those demanding a sequel, is a stumm gas grenade-style lob across the Atlantic to show that you don’t have to camp outside your local multiplex to get your next fix of Mega-City One — the Judge will carry on enforcing the Law through the pages of the comic. Arthur and Henry [creators Arthur Wyatt and Henry Flint] have created a terrific story, and a powerful follow-up to the film – Dredd fans won’t be disappointed.”

While this is great news for fans who want a kind of a continuation of this specific version of Dredd, I believe the audience wanted to see it on the big screen. There are years of back story already in printed form for the characters and Urban’s portrayal of the character was spot on. I personally believe that the fans supporting the sequel wanted to watch one, not read one.

What do you think? Are you a bit annoyed that only a comic follow up is coming out or will this tide you over until the studios decide that another movie is the way to go?

Dredd: Underbelly Synopsis

The one-shot sequel to the critically-acclaimed movie! In the wake of Ma-Ma’s death, other criminal gangs in Mega-City One are moving into the power vacuum, trying to fill the gap in the market left by the Slo-Mo drug. When a corpse dump is discovered in a rad-pit, the bodies are all revealed to be mutants. Could the dead be connected with an outfit smuggling illegal refugees into the city from the Cursed Earth? Dredd once again teams with Psi-Judge Anderson as they scour the underworld for the perps responsible, to bring them to justice!

Source: Slash Film, Previews World