Tag: 2000 AD

'Button Man': David Leitch Developing Action-Thriller Series Based On Comic Book From 'Judge Dredd' Co-Creator With The Aim To Direct
Posted on in News, Television News

‘Button Man’: David Leitch Developing Action Thriller Series Based On Comic Book From ‘Judge Dredd’ Co-Creator With Aim To Direct

David Leitch‘s “The Fall Guy” is out in theaters, and the filmmaker is starting to line up a potential small screen project as a future directing gig. A report from Deadline has revealed that there are plans behind the scenes, but deals haven’t been made, for the rights for the comic book “Button Man” hailing from 2000 AD (British publisher of popular mature comic books such as “Rogue Trooper” and “Judge Dredd”) is being developed as a television series.

Fifth Season has acquired the comic from “Judge Dredd” co-creator John Wagner (“A History of Violence”) with 87North (Leitch and Kelly McCormick) hoping to get involved with the project that focuses on a collective of skilled killers that participate in a game to the death taking a page from properties like “Highlander,” “John Wick,” and “Battle Royale.”

Leitch is said in the report as eyeing “Button Man” as something he could direct if the stars align for him.

The official logline for the comic book via Amazon/2000 AD reads as follows:

The world didn’t seem to need a man like Harry Exton anymore. An ex-soldier and mercenary, Harry was a human-killing machine without a vocation until an old colleague told him about ‘The Game.’ The players, known as “Button Men” are paid to fight to the death in a modern-day gladiatorial contest. Organised by mysterious backers known as ‘Voices’, the killing game offers bountiful financial rewards… if you live. Harry decides to participate but soon discovers that death offers the only way out! The world didn’t seem to need a man like Harry Exton anymore. An ex-soldier and mercenary, Harry was a human-killing machine without a vocation, until an old colleague told him about ‘The Game’. The players, known as ‘Button Men’ are paid to fight to the death in a modern-day gladiatorial contest. Organised by mysterious backers known as ‘Voices’, the killing game offers bountiful financial rewards… if you live. Harry decides to participate but soon discovers that death offers the only way out! Written by John Wagner (Judge Dredd, A History of Violence) with art by Arthur Ranson (Anderson: Psi Division, Mazeworld), “Button Man” is an action-packed thriller, deservedly regarded as one of the greatest strips ever to be published in 2000 AD.

“Button Man” once started out as a feature film that Nicolas Winding Refn (“Drive”) was considering that bounced around from DreamWorks to Netflix.

Leitch has a first-look deal with Universal Pictures and has been trying to figure out his next directorial effort after exiting talks to tackle the latest installment of the “Jurassic” franchise before Gareth Edwards nabbed the job.

SOURCE: DEADLINE

Posted on in Film News, News

‘Rogue Trooper’: Duncan Jones’ Sci-Fi Animated Comic Book Film Adds Hayley Atwell, Jemaine Clement, Sean Bean & Matt Berry To Voice Cast

Rebellion and Liberty Films are behind a feature film incarnation of the 2000 A.D. Comics (publisher of “Juge Dredd”) character ‘Rogue Trooper.” British filmmaker Duncan Jones (“Moon,” “Mute,” “Warcraft”) is set to write and direct the film after an extensive gestation period has finally lined up his voice cast. An official announcement has been made for the former live-action film as a collection of newcomers and veteran actors have been assembled for “Rogue Trooper.”

Taking on the lead voice roles consists of Aneurin Barnard (The Goldfinch, Dunkirk) as the titular Rogue Trooper, alongside Hayley Atwell (Captain America: The First Avenger, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One), Jack Lowden (Slow Horses, Dunkirk), Daryl McCormack (Bad Sisters, Good Luck To You Leo Grande) and Reece Shearsmith (Inside No. 9, Saltburn). Other names mentioned for the sci-fi animated film include Jemaine Clement (Avatar 2: The Way of Water), Matt Berry (What We Do in the Shadows), Diane Morgan (Cunk on Earth), Alice Lowe (Black Mirror), Asa Butterfield (Sex Education, Hugo) and Sean Bean (Game of Thrones, The Lord of the Rings).

Here is the film’s logline from today’s press release:

“‘Rogue Trooper’ tells the story of 19, a ‘Genetic Infantryman’, who finds himself the sole survivor of an invasion force. Desperate to track down the traitor who sold him and his comrades out, the super soldier is accompanied by three killed-in-action squad mates, whose personalities have been stored in his gun, helmet, and rucksack.“

The animated pic was originally planned to be live-action but Jones has obviously pivoted and is expected to be ready for release by 2025. “Rogue Trooper” hails from the same mature comic book publisher that gave us “Dredd,” so there is an expectation it will skew potentially in the realm of R-rated material. They also added a piece of first-look artwork and the film will be using the Unreal Engine 5 to animate.

Rebellion has also been developing a series set within the universe of “Dredd” with “Mega-City One.” However, we haven’t had any sort of concrete update on that front in years. Perhaps, “Mega-City One” could also consider a pivot into animation to cut costs as the show was expected to focus on other judges, not specifically Dredd.

SOURCE: 2000 A.D./REBELLION

Posted on in Television News

Karl Urban Reaffirms Desire To Reprise Judge Dredd Role In ‘Mega-City One’ Series

Alex Garland’s Dredd is considered a modern cult-hit as the film has done exceptionally well on home video and streaming despite it being a bit of a finical flop when released in theaters back in 2012. The mature comic book film was a reboot of the 2000 AD character Judge Dredd previously portrayed by action-star Sly Stallone.

There had been a grassroots campaign to get a Dredd sequel off-the-ground which never really amounted to anything outside of both actors Karl Urban (Judge Dredd) and Olivia Thirlby (Judge Anderson) suggesting they’d be willing to reprise the role if a sequel was ever put together.

Producers pointed out the original film’s sprawling international global distribution combined with the poor box office as a major roadblock to a theatrical sequel ever coming together which led to Rebellion to announce plans for a series titled Mega-City One, taking place in the world of Judge Dredd but not exactly focusing on the character himself.

Karl Urban is currently doing press rounds for the upcoming second season of Amazon Prime Video’s The Boys and reaffirmed to Screen Geek his desire to reprise the Dredd role in that Mega-City One series from Rebellion CEO Jason Kingsley, that’s if they want his services.

URBAN: “Well, listen, it’s very, very early to get into any specifics on that, but I’ve gone on the record before saying that I would love to come back and be a part of that world and tell more Dredd stories. There is just a plethora of great, great stories within the Judge Dredd universe. I think that Jason [Kingsley] and his team – I think that the legacy of Judge Dredd is in great hands. And if I get the opportunity to work with those guys, you can bet your bottom dollar I will be there – because I think that it would be just a real rich and rewarding experience for, not only for us to collaborate, but for the fans. So, if that happens, that’d be fantastic and for whatever reason – and there are many – if it doesn’t happen, then I wish them the best, and I can’t wait to see what they do.”

Outside of some pieces of concept artwork, a pilot script being written Rob Williams and Rebellion building their own studio facility Rebellion Film Studios in Oxford, England for film and television, there haven’t been any substantial updates concerning the series.

Urban seemingly will have a bit of a break and then jump into filming Season 3 of The Boys next year in Toronto.

DREDD – Mega City One is a vast, violent metropolis where felons rule the streets. The only law lies with cops called “judges,” who act as judge, jury and executioner, and Dredd (Karl Urban) is one of the city’s most feared. One day, Dredd is partnered with Cassandra (Olivia Thirlby), a rookie with powerful psychic abilities. A report of a terrible crime sends Dredd and Cassandra to a dangerous area controlled by Ma-Ma (Lena Headey), a drug lord who will stop at nothing to protect her empire.

SOURCE: SCREEN GEEK