First Look: Karl Urban as Judge Dredd in 'Dredd'

Here's our first look at the brand new Mr. I Am The Law. Thanks to comic book artist Jock for tweeting this photo of Karl Urban (Red, Lord of the Rings) starring as Judge Dredd in Dredd, the latest incarnation of the famous British-born comic book lawman. The film, which will be distributed by Lionsgate, has only been shooting for a short while, so it's pretty insane to get such an early look at the costume. Directed by Pete Travis (Vantage Point) from a script by Alex Garland (28 Days Later, Sunshine), Dredd also stars Olivia Thirlby (Juno, The Wackness).

Before he got in front of the camera, Urban talked about his ideas for the film at Fantastic Fest in Austin, TX. Here's what I wrote about it over on Collider. He's currently training for the film and said he's been reading Judge Dredd comics since he was 15. He feels the Stallone film was a missed opportunity and called his version "gritty" and "paired down" with a very real world aesthetic. There will be "no gold codpieces" in this film. Also, Urban will not be seen in the film as Dredd will not take his mask off. He felt this was very important to the character to make him an enigma and a symbol of "faceless justice."

And here's the official plot synopsis that we ran a few months ago. Russ also did a review of the script here, so you can find out more there. DREDD takes us to the wild streets of Mega City One, the lone oasis of quasi-civilization on Cursed Earth. Judge Dredd (Karl Urban) is the most feared of elite Street Judges, with the power to enforce the law, sentence offenders and execute them on the spot -- if necessary. The endlessly inventive mind of writer Alex Garland and the frenetic vision of director Peter Travis bring DREDD to life as a futuristic neo-noir action film that returns the celebrated character to the dark, visceral incarnation from John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra's revered comic strip.

So Dredd fans, how does this costume compare to what Sylvester Stallone wore in his ill-fated 1995 film?

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[antihero276]

Are you all crazy? Dredd is a rare example of a superhero movie that needs a reboot... and desperately. If you think that the Stallone version was the perfect representation of Dredd, then I've just lost a little more hope for humanity. Bring on Dredd!

[2006whoops]

will there be illegal boinging?

[Droogie128]

@antihero276 The helmet came off. All I have to say about that.

[Banner1979]

@shadowdragon888 Nick Nolte would have been my choice if they did a Dredd movie back in the 1980s. He has the jawline and the BA attitude to a tee.

[NordiskLejon]

I AM THE LAAAOOOOW!!!!

[willpreston]

@makingitupforever - bolox

[willpreston]

what i dont understand is why they refuse to use the old story lines. they were awesome, i've just been reading City of the Damned, Caligula, Block mania and the apocalypse war, all of the stories were better than anything Hollywood has produced in 20 years, but the original stories are always scrapped in favor of some instantly forgettable clone of the last action movie/franchise rape - and stop telling me "its is gonna be darker" theres no darkness in superhero movies - otherwise they'd be 18s

[hondansx1000]

the only problem withe the other movie they made was that Dredd took his helmet off. 

[HowDyaYouLikeMeNow]

@antihero276 Ha ha, true. Adam West is the best comparison for Stallone's Dredd I've heard so far. :D

[STSWB5SG1FAN]

I liked the first "Judge Dredd" movie, for what it was it was pretty good, if you ignored the comics continuity and just took it at face value ( for people who've never read 2000 AD). This new Dredd will probably be a lot darker in atmosphere, to match the times we're living in.

[antihero276]

@HowDyaYouLikeMeNow I never said that movie wasn't hilarious xD I watch the "YOU BETRAYED THE LAWWW!" Remixes all the times xD. This is simply what has already happened before with Batman, you know, when the silly Batman was all that was known, Adam West, and then along came Michael Keaton as the dark Batman. We need more then one version, we need the silly and the dark, now it's time for dark seriousness

[HowDyaYouLikeMeNow]

@antihero276 C'mon, mate, I'm as big a Dredd fan as anybody out there, but Stallone's Dredd was hilarious and memorable. I AM. THE LAW! DHWUP. YER WEAPONS! THESE BLUHKS. ARE UNDAR. ARWEST!!! :D