Dredd. The lil’ movie that could. If you’ve been following our site then you may have noticed that certain writers have a bit of a wee crush on the 2012 box office flop. Ok, wee may be a bit of an understatement, but if you’ve managed to see the Karl Urban masterpiece then you understand our enthusiasm. Since its abysmal box office performance, Dredd has grown from a tiny cult wonder to a world wide phenomenon thanks in large part to Frank from Ohio. Frank is the founder of the Make a Dredd Sequel campaign, now officially endorsed by 2000 AD itself. Since we last spoke to Frank the buzz had been growing but now that buzz has turned to booms as the word on everyone’s lips at the Emerald City Comic Con has been ‘sequel’. The official petition, which has reached 100,000 signatures (add yours HERE) is growing daily! On top of that, Dredd itself recently won Amazon.com’s March Movie Madness. A fan voted contest where Dredd beat films like The Godfather, Indiana Jones and Pulp Fiction to claim the top spot. No easy feat for any film, but then again, Dredd isn’t just ‘any’ film. Here’s what Frank had to say in regards to the recent momentum the film is garnering:
SoS: How did 2000 AD become involved in your cause?
Frank: I think that they realized the amount of buzz on our page was rising and viewed the site as more than just another fan page.
SoS: What type of support did they offer you?
Frank: They made an official petition and promoted the page on their own site as well as sending out newsletters and featuring advertisements for the page in certain issues of the comics.
SoS: What happens now that you have 100,000 signatures?
Frank: We keep going. Get 900,000 more!
SoS: When we last spoke, you mentioned you’ve never gotten a chance to read a Dredd comic. Have you managed to read any now, such as Dredd: Underbelly the comic sequel 2000 AD released?
Frank: Yes and I’ve read some of the graphic novels. The sequel comic is the next best thing to a sequel besides actually GETTING a sequel.
SoS: The personal message from Karl Urban was amazing. How did that come about?
Frank: I think he saw the passion of the fans and wanted to give something back. He wanted to let them know to not give up hope for a sequel and that the campaign actually means something to him and everyone else involved with Dredd.
SoS: 2000 AD recently announced a limited edition printing of the films script, written by Alex Garland and illustrated by superstar artist Jock (purchase HERE). Will you be picking it up?
Frank: I already have my copy reserved.
SoS: With the news at ECCC that producers are in talks for a follow-up, do you feel your mission is accomplished? If not, what is your next step?
Frank: There are always a lot of reports out there, but we won’t stop until we get a sequel. Or a trilogy!
SoS: Any other exciting news in store for Dredd fans, and is there anything else they can do?
Frank: Anything they can do whether it’s liking our page, signing the petition, buying Dredd, or simply streaming it on Netflix, anything helps. Show it to your friends, family, co-workers, cat, dog, etc. IF and when the sequel is announced, you’ll hear it on our site first!
So there you have it! Don’t give up people! Fan are capable of amazing things. Without us there wouldn’t be a Serenity or even a Veronica Mars movie. So sign that petition, spread the word and be sure to stay posted to the Dredd Sequel page and Sound on Sight for updates.
-Sean