DREDD Mini-Movies: EP Adi Shankar Confirms Pseudo-Sequels
Last year Adi Shankar first mentioned that he'd like to create at least one more DREDD movie, no matter how it'd have to be made. Here and now, Shankar confirms that his project is a go. Not an official feature-length DREDD 2, but something stranger. Like some of the other short odd projects Shankar has created over the past couple of years, DREDD will continue with this man with the Dark Judges. Not necessarily having anything to do with Karl Urban or Judge Dredd himself, The Four Dark Judges come from a parallel dimension – and they're especially nasty.
Adi Shankar has been the producer on some rather high-powered flicks over the past several years. He was executive producer on the 2011 film The Grey, the 2012 film Killing Them Softly, and Executive Producer on DREDD in 2012.
He also produced two underground short films of note, and continues a series called his "Bootleg Universe." The first film you're going to want to take a peek at here is a "bootleg" version of the Marvel Comics character The Punisher.
Above in "Dirty Laundry" you'll see Thomas Jane – who is a friend of Shankar – portraying The Punisher, aka Frank Castle. Jane also portrayed Castle in the 2004 film The Punisher directed by Jonathan Hensleigh. That film didn't do too well – the 2008 film Punisher: War Zone had a completely different cast and crew.
Next you'll see a film called "Truth in Journalism." This film has bootleg versions of both Venom, a Spider-Man universe character, and Bullseye, a Daredevil universe character. Both are still Marvel Comics characters – but it doesn't matter. Shankar's Bootleg Universe is all over the place.
Now what's important about these films is the face that they're not massive productions. They're not funded by film studios, and they're not rated by film boards. They're essentially very well made fan-films.
Finally – and most importantly – Shankar has sent out a thank you letter to DREDD fans everywhere, doing so on "Day of Dredd" – the 30th of September, 2014. That day is when the fan community streams the movie, buys a copy of the movie as a gift for a friend, or generally spreads the DREDD love from all social networking angles. All in hopes of keeping DREDD in the limelight so that a second – and third, and fourth – film are produced.
Shankar's promise here – confirmed with The Wrap – is that a "Dark Judges" miniseries is coming. Shankar has spent "the last two years creating [this] top-secret 'Dredd' miniseries' – one that'll center on Judge Death, Judge Fire, Judge Fear, and Judge Mortis.
How this set of terrible beasts will be brought to the small screen is a mystery given the relatively tame graphic effects of the rest of the Bootleg Universe thus far. Shankar suggested that "the project" will be released "online later this month" – right around Halloween, we must assume – and that the whole lot will be free to watch.
By all means, let it flame up! Meanwhile we'll continue being pumped about the possibility of the Karl Urban-packed DREDD 2, becoming more and more possible as the weeks roll by.