Connection
Judge Dredd
- Infos
- Photos
- Best films
If you like this character, let us know!
Real name Joseph « Joe » Dredd
Judge Dredd is a fictional character who appears in British comic books published by Rebellion Developments, as well as in a number of movie and video game adaptations. He was created by writer John Wagner and artist Carlos Ezquerra, and first appeared in the second issue of 2000 AD (1977), a weekly science-fiction anthology. He is that magazine's longest-running character.
Joseph Dredd is a law enforcement officer in the dystopian future city of Mega-City One in North America. He is a "street judge", empowered to summarily arrest, convict, sentence, and execute criminals.
The character of Dredd is well known and his name is sometimes invoked in discussions of police states, authoritarianism, and the rule of law.
Biography
Senior Judge Joseph Dredd and his brother Rico Dredd were cloned from the DNA of Chief Judge Fargo, the first chief judge, in 2066. Their growth was artificially accelerated to an apparent physiological age of 5, with all the appropriate knowledge for their age electronically implanted in their brains during gestation. The name 'Dredd' was chosen by the genetic scientist who created them, Morton Judd, to "instill fear in the population". As cadets during Atomic Wars of 2070, they were temporarily made full Judges to restore order to the panic-stricken streets. Distinguishing themselves, they were chosen to take part in assaulting the White House when the Justice Department deposed President Booth. They were fast-tracked through the Academy of Law, Joseph graduating second in the class of 2079, while Rico came first. Later that year, Joseph was forced to arrest Rico for murder and corruption. Twenty years later, when Rico sought revenge after serving a 20 year sentence, Joe was forced to shoot him in self-defence.Joe Dredd excelled as a judge, rapidly gaining promotion to the rank of senior judge. Offered the opportunity to become chief judge in 2101, Dredd declined, preferring to serve on the streets enforcing the law. On several occasions he saved his city from conquest or destruction by powerful enemies, and in 2114 he saved the entire world during the Fourth World War.
Although Dredd holds his duty above every other priority, this devotion is not blind. On two occasions (in 2099 and 2112), Dredd resigned from the force on points of principle, but both times he returned. In 2113, Dredd insisted that the Justice Department gamble its very existence on a referendum to prove its legitimacy. In 2116, he risked 20 years' imprisonment with hard labour when he challenged the policy of a chief judge; and in 2129, he threatened to resign to persuade another chief judge to change the city's harsh anti-mutant apartheid laws.
After fifty years of active service, Dredd's career may be drawing to a close. In 2130, he was diagnosed with cancer of the duodenum, though it was benign. In 2132, Dredd was appointed to the Council of Five, Mega-City One's highest governing body, on which he served for two years.
Best films
(1995)Played by the actors
Filmography of Judge Dredd (2 films)
Add to a movie list
Dredd (2012)
, 1h35Directed by Alex Garland, Pete Travis, Andrew Macdonald
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Science fiction, Action
Themes L'action se déroule en une journée, Films about computing, Medical-themed films, Post-apocalyptic films, Films about drugs, Films set in the future, Superhero films, Political films, Cyberpunk films, Dystopian films
Actors Karl Urban, Olivia Thirlby, Wood Harris, Lena Headey, Domhnall Gleeson, DeObia Oparei
Rating70%
The future United States is a dystopic irradiated wasteland known as the Cursed Earth. On the east coast lies Mega-City One, a violent metropolis with 800 million residents and 17,000 crimes reported daily. The only force for order are the Judges, who act as judge, jury and executioner. Judge Dredd is tasked by the Chief Judge with evaluating new recruit Cassandra Anderson, a powerful psychic who failed the aptitude tests to be a Judge.
Judge Dredd (1995)
, 1h36Directed by Danny Cannon
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Action
Themes Clonage, Films about computing, Post-apocalyptic films, Films set in the future, Superhero films, Political films, Cyberpunk films, Dystopian films
Actors Sylvester Stallone, Armand Assante, Louise Delamere, Diane Lane, Rob Schneider, Joan Chen
Rating56%
By the 2080s, much of Earth has become an uninhabitable wasteland. While some humans manage to survive in the wasteland, the majority of humanity resides in huge Mega-Cities with populations of tens of millions, where the traditional justice system has been replaced by a corps of Judges whose role combines those of police officer, judge, jury, and executioner. The most dedicated "Street Judge" in Mega-City One is Joseph Dredd (Sylvester Stallone), who assists rookie Judge Hershey (Diane Lane) in ending a block war. Herman "Fergee" Ferguson (Rob Schneider), a hacker recently released from prison, is caught in the firefight and hides inside a food dispensing robot, only to be arrested by Dredd and again sentenced to five years' imprisonment.