Dredd: The Screenplay
DREDD
Alex Garland
Judge Dredd created by
JOHN WAGNER and CARLOS EZQUERRA
Judge Dredd is © and ® Rebellion A/S 1977, 2013
Contents
Title Page
Dredd
Plates
Also by Alex Garland
Copyright
Dredd
Open on: desert.
EXT. CURSED EARTH – DAY1
Blasted rock and dust, as far as the eye can see.
ANDERSON
(voice-over)
America is an irradiated wasteland. A Cursed Earth, in which a single outpost of civilisation remains. Stretching from Boston to Washington …
A vast walled city appears on the horizon.
ANDERSON
(voice-over)
… Mega City One.
Fade to:
INT. HALL OF JUSTICE
In a darkened room, with a single light source, a man is putting on a uniform.
In the darkness and artfully positioned lighting, his face is always hidden in total shadow.
But on his torso we can see the scars of past bullet wounds, knife wounds and surgery. And we can see the pain inherent in his movement …
… as he changes a bandage around his midriff, revealing purple, yellow bruising.
And straps his wrists like a boxer before pulling on his gloves.
Then zips up boots.
Clips on a utility belt.
And picks up his Lawgiver gun.
As Dredd’s fist closes around it, an LED light by a small digital display flashes red.
Then, on the digital display, a message appears:
ID OK
The LED turns green.
He attaches the weapon to a thigh-mounted holster clip.
Finally, he pulls his helmet down over his head.
Now he moves in such a way that the light falls on his face.
The top half of his features are hidden below a visor. The lower half, his mouth and chin, look as if they have been carved from rock.
Title:
DREDD
Cut to:
INT. HALL OF JUSTICE ⁄ EXIT TUNNEL – DAY
Strip lights reflect on Dredd’s helmet.
He rides a huge, fat-wheeled motorbike towards a point of brightness.
The end of a tunnel.
He breaks out of the tunnel into blinding sunlight.
EXT. MEGA CITY ONE ⁄ ROAD – DAY
Dredd is now on a ribbon of flyover, running through a canyon of megablocks.
Dredd’s fist twists the throttle.
As he accelerates, we reveal –
– Dredd is in hot pursuit of a vehicle.
The pursuit takes place in the tunnels beneath and through the megablocks, and the open stretches of road and flyovers between.
DREDD
Dredd to Control. In pursuit of vehicle, sector thirteen, moving west up Wagner Drive. Suspect driver is DUI.
CONTROL
(over radio)
Copy, Dredd.
Cut to:
INT. VEHICLE – CONTINUOUS
Inside the vehicle.
Suddenly everything is in slow motion, and the colours are unnaturally iridescent and bright.
Inside are three men. The Driver, the Passenger beside him, and a third man in the back seat –
– who is jamming a clip into a small machine gun.
The Driver turns in his seat, shouting something at the man behind –
– but the words are too slow and slurred for us to understand.
Then the slow motion abruptly starts to speed up, and the colours start to lose their sparkle – returning to normal.
We can now understand what the Driver is shouting.
DRIVER
We’ve got a judge on our tail! Take him out or we’re dead fucking meat!
The Shooter takes a long hit on a small device like an asthma inhaler. On the side of the inhaler are the words SLO-MO.
As soon as the Shooter takes the hit from the inhaler –
– the slow motion and iridescent colours return.
Cut to:
EXT. MEGA CITY ONE ⁄ ROAD – CONTINUOUS
Outside the vehicle, as the Shooter leans out of the window of the vehicle …
… and starts firing his machine pistol at Dredd.
CONTROL
(over radio)
Do you require back-up?
DREDD
(into radio)
No.
INT. VEHICLE – CONTINUOUS
Inside the vehicle, seen through the psychedelic filter of the narcotics, we see the Driver swerve off the freeway and on to an urban street to avoid an oncoming vehicle.
Suddenly, a Pedestrian slams against the front windscreen.
Then is sucked downwards, and dragged beneath the wheels.
Cut to:
EXT. MEGA CITY ONE ⁄ ROAD – CONTINUOUS
Dredd.
DREDD
Control. The perps just wiped out an innocent. I’m taking them out.
CONTROL
(over radio)
Copy.
From the front of Dredd’s motorbike –
– twin cannons either side of the front wheel suddenly blaze into life.
Bullets rip into the vehicle, blowing out its back tyres.
It is immediately thrown into a skid, slides sideways, then starts to roll …
… until it slams into a concrete bollard by the roadside and stops dead.
EXT. MEGA CITY ONE ⁄ ROAD – CONTINUOUS
Dredd approaches the wreckage of the vehicle, handgun drawn.
He pulls open the side door.
Inside, the Driver is still strapped into his seat, impaled on the broken steering column, twitching.
Blood runs down from the Driver on to the corpse of his Passenger, who is crumpled up, limbs unnaturally folded like a child’s doll.
Dredd clocks the slo-mo inhaler.
Then looks past the bodies of the Driver and the Passenger to the opposite window.
Which has been kicked out.
And through the hole, Dredd spots the Shooter, Zwirner, sprinting towards the pedestrian entrance of a habitation block.
Citizens are thronged around the entrance, and the Shooter fires into the air to clear a path.
He lifts his gun, but realises he can’t risk taking the shot through the civilians.
INT. SHOPPING CENTRE ⁄ ENTRANCE
Dredd enters the shopping centre.
He sees scattered bodies of Zwirner’s random victims.
INT. SHOPPING CENTRE ⁄ CORRIDOR
Dredd turns a corner.
At the far end of a corridor, past an escalator, he can see more bodies, and people running.
There are screams and gunshots.
DREDD
(into mike)
Dredd to Control. Paramedics to my GPS. I’ve got multiple wounded, and bodies for Resyk.
CONTROL
(over radio)
Copy that. Paramedics inbound.
Dredd walks forward, into the chaos, gun raised.
INT. SHOPPING CENTRE ⁄ FOOD COURT
The food court is still.
Quiet, except for the muffled whimpering of a female hostage, a server on one of the fast food stalls, with a gun to her head. Her name tag reads: ROSA.
ROSA
(whispers)
Please don’t kill me.
Reveal, behind her, Zwirner, wired, out of breath, holding his gun to her head.
ZWIRNER
Shut the fuck up, bitch.
Near them are the bodies of Shoppers.
We hear a chime, and an automated female voice comes over the PA.
&nb
sp; TANNOY
All shoppers are reminded to avoid the level one food courts until further notice. Alternative refreshments can be found on level eight and sub-level two.
As the Tannoy completes its message –
– reveal Dredd standing in the middle of the food court.
Almost casually. In the wide open. Gun by his side.
He calls to Zwirner.
DREDD
Let’s talk.
ZWIRNER
Talk about what, Judge?
DREDD
A deal. Release the hostage, unharmed, now. And I guarantee you a sentence of life imprisonment in an iso-cube. Without parole.
ZWIRNER
(incredulous)
Life without parole? That’s the deal you’re offering me?
DREDD
Only if you comply. If you do not comply – your crimes are multiple homicide and attempted murder of a judge. The sentence is death.
Zwirner laughs crazily.
ZWIRNER
You aren’t a very good negotiator, Judge. You know why? (Switching his aim to Rosa’s head.) You’ve got no fucking leverage.
ROSA
Oh God, God, no –
ZWIRNER
Here’s another deal. You let me walk, or I blow her fucking brains out.
Dredd lifts his gun, unhurried, and points it straight at Zwirner and Rosa.
DREDD
How do you want it, creep? Short and sweet or long and cube-shaped?
ZWIRNER
(thrown)
What are you doing? Didn’t you hear what I said? I’ll kill the bitch.
DREDD
I heard you. Hot shot.
On Dredd’s voice command, the setting on his gun changes.
ZWIRNER
… What?
DREDD
I said: hot shot.
Dredd fires.
A white hot phosphorus round slams straight into Zwirner’s mouth.
Stunned, as his mouth ignites, he staggers back, releasing the girl.
The burning quickly burns through his cheeks, eyes, and nose.
Then he drops to his knees, dead.
Cut to:
Rosa, paralysed with fear. Hyperventilating.
ROSA
Th-th-thank you, Judge.
DREDD
Deep breaths, citizen.
Dredd’s radio kicks in.
CONTROL
(over radio)
Control to Dredd. Is your situation resolved?
Dredd glances over at the smouldering body of Zwirner and the terrified girl.
DREDD
Yes.
CONTROL
(over radio)
Report back to the Hall of Justice. The Chief Judge wants to see you.
INT. SHOPPING CENTRE ⁄ ENTRANCE
A Resyk cart cleans up the blood and bodies.
TANNOY
The level one food court will reopen in thirty minutes. Thank you for your patience.
EXT. HALL OF JUSTICE – DAY
The Hall of Justice. The home of the judges. The seat of their power, and home to Control. In a way, it is a police precinct house, the Supreme Court and the Pentagon combined.
INT. HALL OF JUSTICE ⁄ ENTRANCE – CONTINUOUS
Dredd enters the main hall.
INT. HALL OF JUSTICE ⁄ OBSERVATION ROOM – CONTINUOUS
A girl in her early twenties, in judge’s uniform, minus helmet.
She is an immediate contrast with everything we have so far seen of the grim world of Mega City One.
Beautiful, and slightly vulnerable. Biting her lip as she sits on a chair in a featureless room.
Opposite her is a mirror.
CHIEF JUDGE
(off-screen)
Cassandra Anderson. Twenty-one. Born in a block one hundred metres from the radiation boundary wall.
INT. HALL OF JUSTICE ⁄ OBSERVATION ROOM – CONTINUOUS
On the other side of the two-way mirror, Dredd and the Chief Judge, a woman in her fifties, look back at the girl.
CHIEF JUDGE
At seven years old, she lost both parents to residual-fallout cancer. As is standard with orphans, she was given a judge aptitude test at age nine. It classified her as unsuitable, but she was entered into the Academy on special instruction. In the Academy, her record was never better than borderline. The final Academy score put her three percentile points below a pass.
DREDD
So what’s she doing in a uniform?
The Chief Judge doesn’t answer.
Instead, she reaches out, and presses the intercom button.
CHIEF JUDGE
Rookie Anderson.
ANDERSON
Sir.
CHIEF JUDGE
How many people are observing you?
INT. HALL OF JUSTICE ⁄ OBSERVATION ROOM – CONTINUOUS
Anderson continues looking at her reflection, frowning slightly. Biting her lip a little harder.
ANDERSON
Two.
INT. HALL OF JUSTICE ⁄ OBSERVATION ROOM – CONTINUOUS
Dredd reacts.
CHIEF JUDGE
(into intercom)
What can you tell me about the person I am with?
ANDERSON
(through intercom)
Male.
CHIEF JUDGE
(into intercom)
Good …
ANDERSON
(through intercom)
Another judge. (Concentrating harder.) I can feel anger. And control. But there’s something else. Behind the control. Something almost …
CHIEF JUDGE
(cuts in)
Okay, Anderson. That’ll do.
The Chief Judge switches the intercom off.
DREDD
She’s a mutant.
CHIEF JUDGE
The Justice Council has voted to overlook her status. So you will too. She’s the most powerful psychic we’ve ever come across – by a huge margin. We believe she could be a major asset.
Beat.
As I said. Her final score was only three points below a pass. It’s marginal.
DREDD
It’s not marginal. She failed.
CHIEF JUDGE
The girl’s getting one more chance. I want you to take her out and give her one day in the field. Supervised. To see if she makes the grade.
The Chief Judge turns to Dredd.
CHIEF JUDGE
Sink or swim. Chuck her in the deep end.
DREDD
It’s all the deep end.
Then cut to:
INT. HALL OF JUSTICE ⁄ OBSERVATION ROOM ⁄ CORRIDOR – CONTINUOUS
Anderson sits quietly. Gazing at something in her hands.
It’s a photo. Slightly battered. It shows a little blonde girl, seven years old, smiling, between both her parents. All are smiling at the camera.
Abruptly, she folds the photo and tucks it into her utility belt.
Then turns to look at the door.
A second later, it opens, revealing Dredd.
Anderson stands immediately, and salutes.
INT. HALL OF JUSTICE ⁄ CORRIDOR – CONTINUOUS
Dredd and Anderson walk through the Halls of Justice.
DREDD
A rookie judge on assessment is likely to be involved in armed combat. You may be required to carry out on-thespot executions of convicted felons.
ANDERSON
Yes, sir.
DREDD
Incorrect sentencing is an automatic fail. Disobeying a direct order from your assessment officer is an automatic fail. Losing your primary weapon or having it taken from you is an automatic fail.
ANDERSON
Yes, sir.
DREDD
You ready, rookie?
ANDERSON
I am.
A beat.
Then Dredd nods.
DREDD
Your assessment starts now.
EXT. PEACH TREE BLOCK ⁄ SKATEPARK – DAY
; Close-up on a skatepark, concrete, surrounded by a high wire-mesh fence, half-pipes and rails, where six Skaters are pulling off some impressive aerial moves.
One of the Skaters soars, and revolves a neat 720 spin.
Two Teenage Girls, sitting at a window, watch. And approve.
And we reveal, just behind the Teenage Girls –
– the vertiginous drop on the other side of the wire fence.
The skatepark is bolted on the side of a megablock, seventy-five storeys in the air.
The megablocks are brutal concrete monoliths. Each operates like a self-contained town. This particular block is called Peach Trees. Named in luminous peach lettering, etched into the acid-rain and fume-stained concrete flanks.
The scale of the construction is colossal. Leaving the park behind, we cut to various windows and glimpse the lives inside. Cramped apartments. People watching TV. Sleeping. Eating. Having sex. Or simply absent.
Among them, we see a man holding a baby, chatting to his wife. Their names are Japhet and Cathy.
The only common factor between the lives we see is squalor and poverty.
Peach Trees is a slum.
EXT. PEACH TREE BLOCK ⁄ WINDOW – CONTINUOUS
Cut to – a woman, looking out of a window at the top of the building.
She could be in her late fifties or early sixties, but a diagonal stripe scar that disfigures her cheek and top lip, and heavy make-up, make her precise age hard to place.
This is Ma-Ma.
INT. MA-MA’S BASE – CONTINUOUS
Behind Ma-Ma are five men.
The first of these men is Caleb. Late thirties. Physically powerful. Intelligent and violent. Ma-Ma’s right-hand man.
The next two are Kay and Sy. Junior to Caleb. Soldiers. Lieutenants.
And finally there are Ma-Ma’s two Bodyguards. They never leave her side, and never speak.
All are inked with dense black tattoos – but share one particular tattoo on the side of their necks: a pierced heart and scroll – with the word MA-MA written inside.