If you’re a fan of Pete Travis’ 2012 film Dredd, then you’ve likely had your fill of promises, whispers, and murmurs about a sequel over the last year and change; the only new Dredd-centric media that’s actually happened so far is the Superfiends miniseries. So hope, it seems, is for the moment lost or at least in need of judicious stoking. But a potential return to the mean streets of Mega-City One isn’t totally out of the question just yet; it could happen, but only if the rules of movie funding physics play in Dredd 2‘s favor.
Need a brushing up on the science of how independent films are financed and produced? Good news – executive producer Adi Shankar has your back. Using his Youtube channel as his podium, Shankar has released a six minute clip in which he discusses the ins and outs of securing backing in the world of independent filmmaking, all in service to explaining precisely how a Dredd 2 just might possibly, maybe enjoy a theatrical run – someday anyhow.
Shankar’s a real raconteur and a bit of a wiseguy, so listening to him expound on any topic is a guaranteed good time. In this particular case, you’ll get an education with a side of entertainment; Shankar clearly articulates the particulars of indie financing without ever being pedantic or boring. Boiled down to the basics, Shankar makes getting Dredd 2 made sound like a piece of cake – though he says all his words with a knowing smile.
After all, scoring a director with clout to helm the follow-up to someone else’s comic book movie feels like a Herculean feat. Hiring a marquee actor, on the other hand, seems less complicated, though people of the same caliber as Shankar’s example, The Rock, tend to keep their plates full. Scheduling then becomes a stumbling block.
Ultimately, the key is figuring out a way to get foreign distributors to play ball. In Shankar’s asset formula, D + I + S (Domestic Value + International Value + Subsidies/Rebates), it’s the “I” that’s really critical. Shankar reminds us all that Dredd wound up losing money for most of its distributors back in 2012, and without assurance in the form of a mainstream talent (in front of or behind the camera) with real commercial draw, they’re less likely to commit for a second go-round.
You may know Shankar best through his Bootleg Universe one-shots ( James Bond: In Service of Nothing, Power/Ranger, Venom: Truth in Journalism); he also has credits on movies like The Grey, which made him the youngest indie producer take the top spot at the American box office. Now, after this perfect breakdown of piecemealing, maybe you’ll know him as your go-to guy for answering all your questions about movie funding.
But just because Shankar knows his stuff doesn’t mean that Dredd 2 will ever happen. It could, with the right players and the right moves – how about pairing Karl Urban up with Kingsman: The Secret Service‘s Taron Egerton and John Wick‘s Chad Stahelski and David Leitch? – but you’re gonna have to keep your fingers crossed, even if there are very good reasons that Dredd should become a franchise in its own right.
Source: Adi Shankar
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