Release dates 11 July 2012

Directed: by Pete Travis  Produced: by Alex Garland, Andrew Macdonald, Allon Reic
Screenplay: by Alex Garland
Based on Judge Dredd by John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra
Starring: Karl Urban, Olivia Thirlby, Wood Harris, Lena Headey
Music by: Paul Leonard-Morgan
Cinematography: Anthony Dod Mantle 
Edited by: Mark Eckersley Productioncompany DNA FilmsIM GlobalReliance Entertainment 
Distributed by Entertainment Film Distributors: Lionsgate

Why did DREDD flop at the box office?

DREDD was released on 7 September 2012 in the United Kingdom and on 21 September 2012 worldwide. Critics were generally positive about the film's visual effects, casting and action, while criticism focused on a perceived lack of the satirical elements that are found in the source comic and on excessive violence. Despite the positive critical response, the film earned just over $41 million at the box office on an estimated budget of $45 million. DREDD saw greater success following its home release, and has since been recognised as a cult film. The theatrical gross made a sequel unlikely, but home media sales and fan efforts endorsed by 2000 AD's publisher Rebellion have maintained the possibility of a second film.

DREDD is set in the future and shows a crumbling city in fluctuated by over 800 million people with danger lurking round every corner. Only the judges are left to retain some sort of civilisation in the chaotic mega city.  A new drug craze has hit the streets forcing the judges to take action, an addictive new drug called "Slo-Mo" has been introduced, which slows the user's perception of time to 1% of normal. The so called ‘mama’ clan are making a name for themselves as the creators of the inhaled drug and run the cherry trees block with their brutality and abide for the law striking fear into their residents. The judge and his trainee psychopathic accomplice set upon the mission to bring all prosecutors to justice and restore civilisation to the area.

My opening reason on what I believe affected dreads performance at the box office was due to the similar story line of a film which had un wearingly come out shortly before it. This film was called the raid. Although they are still very different films in terms of the topic the issues within the film are still along the same guideline, unfortunately for DREDD the raid came out first meaning people who like action films of high intensity, gore and evil drug lords watched this one first and would probably consider not going to watch DREDD afterwards considering both films trailers were also similar.

My second reason i believe DREDD fell well short of its potential is due to its age certificate. DREDD was classified as an 18 meaning no fan under the age could watch it (legally). I believe due to the history of the super hero, judge dredd and the cartoons that have been produced over the years by making the latest installment an 18 they lost a large bulk of there fans and therefore profits. Although cartoons are still popular within adults you would expect there many sales to come from younger people. Within people who read superhero comics judge dredd is a household name and I think a vast amount of DREDDS viewers came from comic readers with prior knowledge of the judge.

In addition another factor in why DREDD wasn’t successful could be down to the simple fact there are plenty of other superhero films released with a more substantial background to them. Judge Dredd is one of marvels least known characters which gives people unaware of him a sense of the unknown- a lot of people these days want to pay to go to the cinema in guarantee they are going to see a high quality movie and without any knowledge of the judge they may see this as a gamble. The fact it had to compete alongside films released in the same year such as The Avengers, The Amazing Spider Man and The Dark Knight Rises is likely to have also been culpable with these well know films having extraordinary budgets with highly renowned cast members DREDD with its relatively small budget in hindsight had little chance. Without a doubt you could say DREDD was definitely low in the scale of high profile films of the year 2012.The fact that DREDD may not have been a typically English film could potentially also been a problem with americans not recognising its originality-something they usually credit us with.
In conclusion i believe all these reasons have played pivatal parts in the downfall of performance at the boxoffice. however if i was pushed to give a final verdict on why DREDD failed i would lay the blame at the path of poor marketing with the lack of publicity  and the maximum age certificate being key factors.