Judge Death and The Dark Judges in a future film?

[HunterZolomon]

1. Judge Death. Digitally enlarge mouth, rest is makeup.
2. Judge Fire. Body wreathed in fire, CGI skull. Probably the most complex/expensive one.
3. Judge Fear. Complete darkness behind visor, may not even need to be FX.
4. Judge Mortis. Digital horseskull on green painted actor head.

This could be tough on a limited budget, but there are some fairly decent references. What do you think?

Also, if anyone has a better suggestion for references, especially Mortis, please upload 

[PsychoGoatee]

Hell yeah, I think it's almost unanimous, if they get to make a sequel to Dredd it's gotta have Judge Death and the Dark Judges.

Agreed with the effects ideas and whatnot.

[darnmarr]

I think Garland hinted at this somewhere and ....I just don't know about the dark Judges as a film idea: when you read a comic, then the iconography of badges ,belts, shoulders and knee pads is reinforced with every panel, and after processing hundreds of these pictures it is fascinating to watch what an artist like Bolland can do to re-interpret and subvert that stamped-on-our-eyes image of a 'judge'...

But, personally, in a film, I can't see the point. 'Dredd' has to be painted heroically large and clear and familiar to his audience before a direct 'negative image' like Death can make sense. Death himself probably needs to be established before the other guys can be brought in to riff on the theme. I dolove 'em, but I reckon they make far more effective graphic villains than they would ever be as cinematic ones.

[HunterZolomon]

I think Garland hinted at this somewhere and ....I just don't know about the dark Judges as a film idea: when you read a comic, then the iconography of badges ,belts, shoulders and knee pads is reinforced with every panel, and after processing hundreds of these pictures it is fascinating to watch what an artist like Bolland can do to re-interpret and subvert that stamped-on-our-eyes image of a 'judge'...

But, personally, in a film, I can't see the point. 'Dredd' has to be painted heroically large and clear and familiar to his audience before a direct 'negative image' like Death can make sense. Death himself probably needs to be established before the other guys can be brought in to riff on the theme. I dolove 'em, but I reckon they make far more effective graphic villains than they would ever be as cinematic ones.

I completely agree that Dredd and his world needs to be established first. In a sequel however, I think a lot could be done with the Dark Judges. They're basically the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Dredd is defined by his enemies, the only reason we see him as a protagonist is because his enemies are worse. And what is worse than Judge Death? They could also be used as a nightmarish vision of what Dredd could become himself.

The very reason you state, them being effective visually would be exactly the reason they would work great on the big screen, they're larger than life, just like Dredd himself.

[darnmarr]

Perhaps, but 'graphic' and 'iconic' aint the same as simply 'visual'.

All the little bits that make the first Dark Judge what he is: pterodactyl-eagle , bone-ribbed shoulder pads, leather-lacing for the zip, skull-badge, portcullis-visor,-these elements are bound to an iconic image of Dredd that can probably never be brought to the screen, and that belongs to the comics.

Without his pterodactyl-eagle , bone-ribbed shoulder pads, leather-lacing for the zip, skull-badge, portcullis-visor, what is Judge Death but 'a spooky ghost' with a similar-sounding name to the protagonist?

[HunterZolomon]

He would be the nightmare version of Dredd. The dark reflection. Judge Death is an iconic villain, and I very much doubt toning down his costume to match Dredd's look in the new film would diminish him.

All the paraphernalia you mention would still be there, albeit toned down a bit.

[darnmarr]

All the paraphernalia you mention would still be there, albeit toned down a bit

Why would it be there?- surely without context it would make no sense to have it?

[HunterZolomon]

Why would it be there?- surely without context it would make no sense to have it?

Dredd still has the shoulder eagle, the badge, the helmet/visor etc. You reflect the look of Dredd, a nightmare version of those.

[Adrian Bamforth]

I'm not keen on the idea.

Works in the comic but here's very little to the concept or characters - on screen it would just be too 'Scooby Doo', and jettison the credibility they appear to be striving for.

[radiator]

Yeah. Obviously I haven't seen DREDD, but it seems like a very Batman Begins-type approach to the character - and how jarring would it be if supernatural elements were suddenly introduced in new Batman film?

My guess is that we'll see Judge Death in the sequel (which at this point is somewhat of an unlikely prospect), but that he'll be conceptualised in a completely different way that he is in the comics.

[HunterZolomon]

I'm not keen on the idea.

Works in the comic but here's very little to the concept or characters - on screen it would just be too 'Scooby Doo', and jettison the credibility they appear to be striving for.

Well, wouldn't that completely depend on how they are portrayed?

Are you opposed to introducing them into a movie with the style and atmosphere of the upcoming Dredd film? Or any form of Dredd film?

If anything I think Nolan taught us that any well written character, no matter how zany or extreme, can be translated into a setting that toes the line of reality and comicbook fiction. His Riddler for example would not be a bendy loon in green spandex, he would be something more akin to Moriarty. In the same vein Judge Death would be an extra-dimensional horror, a dark (or should I say darker) reflection of the protagonist.

[Adrian Bamforth]

I can't see it working in any version in which you see the character. Morph him into something else and I'd rather it just be a different character. Dredd can come up against any villain but Batman has few to play with.

[Goaty]

Dredd is does looks like a realistic film, like Batman Begins, to bring supernatural in it maybe not work.

Someone did mention it, that Judge Death would be PSI judge gone rogue?   

[HunterZolomon]

Adrian. How do you mean? I was asking if you see any way yourself how they could be used in a film? Does it really have to be Bolland art direction and super faithful adaption?

Goaty: I was thinking just the same. Four (psi)judges go bonkers after witnessing too many horrors in MC1. I don't think the supernatural is not far away since we already have Anderson. There are several ways of handling the Dark Judges, and I think it could be done really well.

[Teivion]

Non supernatural Dark Judges in a 'Real World' Dredd :

Judge Death : Dredd Wannabe, real name : (insert here)
Rejected from the Judge squad due to psychotic tenancies and obvious lust for imposing a 'Death' sentence. Nicknamed 'Judge Death' by his fellow Judges before his disappearance whilst on route to a psychiatric prison term.

Judge Fire: Real Name: ( insert here)
Pyromaniac recruited by Death. Hideously burned features (from a botched arson job) destroyed nerve endings so self immolates*during his fire starting. Claims the ability to 'project' spontaneous combustion, but actually uses a customised flame thrower made to look like the Devils pitchfork.

Judge Fear**: Real Name: ( insert here)
Mental health doctor specialising in the link to hallucinogenic drugs and imposing fear to the enemy on the battle field. Recruited by Death. Exposure to mind altering drugs gradually turns Fear into a madman, who gets pleasure from administering his 'research' to hapless victims via visual stimuli rigged behind a helmet visor, normally resulting in severe shock and heart failure of victim.

Judge Mortis: Real Name: ( insert here)
Fellow scientist on the same project as Fear, researching fast acting poisons during chemical warfare. Recruited by Death. Designed a drug that rapidly decayed living tissue. Drug administered by touch alone to avoid airborne contamination to native friendlies. Obsession with taxidermy.

Everything else pretty much follows the well known storyline - Death being a gang leader hell bent on destroying the city from 'crime by the living' .....

*yes I had to look that up
** Annoyingly similar to Scarecrow from the latest Batman ?