Taiki Waiтιтi is officially taking over Judge Dredd, and I’m happy this means a cinematic return for the franchise — even if it means my hopes for a sequel to the criminally underrated Dredd are finally ᴅᴇᴀᴅ. Judge Dredd has been a hallmark of the alternative comics scene for decades, a satirical pastiche of American brutality from the British anthology magazine 2000 A.D. that has gone on to develop his own intricate franchise. This includes two live-action Dredd movies, the critically maligned Sylvester Stallone-led Judge Dredd and Karl Urban’s take on the character from Dredd.

Despite fans spending over a decade clamoring for a sequel to that film, the filmmakers and stars had moved on to other projects. In the meantime, Taiki Waiтιтi has joined a new reboot of Judge Dredd, suggesting a different tenor for the film after the gritty action of Dredd. While I’m sad we aren’t getting a sequel to Dredd, this announcement has me excited for a version of Dredd that can infuse Waiтιтi’s subversive comedy and deceptive heart into a franchise that always benefits from a touch of camp and hyperbolic comedy.

I’m Sad About Dredd Not Getting A Sequel, But It’s Time To Move On

I Wanted Dredd 2 Too, But At Least We’re Getting The Character Back On Screen

Directed by Pete Travis and written by Alex Garland, Dredd was a quick cult classic when it was released in 2012 — and I loved it. Karl Urban is pitch-perfect as the тιтular Judge Dredd, fighting his way through a locked-down apartment complex with enough creative flair to stand out from countless other bullet-filled shoot-em-ups.

Dredd was gritty but fun, over-the-top but committed to the bit. Unfortunately, Dredd didn’t do well at the box office and plans for a sequel never materialized. I’ve found some solace in the fact that people like Garland, Urban, and Lena Headey have found other exciting projects, but Judge Dredd is too compelling of a cinematic concept to let lie dormant.

Even if we don’t get Dredd 2, the character and his world have so much storytelling potential that it’s just begging to be adapted in a new way. There are so many supporting characters, ᴅᴇᴀᴅly villains, and major storylines from the original comics that could make for great films. If we’re not getting Dredd 2, we need to move on.

The biggest question coming out of that realization is what direction the new film should take. It could try to ape the action aesthetics of the modern genre, or return to the grim and gritty take that defined Travis and Garland’s conception of Dredd’s world. However, a fresh set of eyes and a unique sensibility might be exactly what Dredd needs.

Taika Waiтιтi’s Judge Dredd’s Reboot Has So Much Potential

Taika’s Style Of Satire Could Make This The Most Comics-Accurate Judge Dredd Film

Taika Waiтιтi has defined himself in the current cinematic landscape as capable of threading the needle between cutting social commentary and ᴅᴇᴀᴅpan goofy comedy. Films like Thor Ragnarok and What We Do in the Shadows showcase what he can do with larger mythologies, a promising sign for anyone taking on Judge Dredd’s sprawling world.

Waiтιтi also has a keen eye for inserting harsh critiques of society into his films. Jojo Rabbit is a sly social commentary that never stops being entertaining, even as it becomes increasingly pessimistic and heartbreaking. That would lend itself well to adapting the more satirical elements of the Judge Dredd comic stories.

Taika Waiтιтi joining Judge Dredd suggests that no matter what direction he takes the character, it’ll be unexpected and decidedly different from what came before. If we’re not going to get Dredd 2, then I’d rather have the future of the Judge Dredd franchise be in those kinds of hands.