The Epic Resurgence of Karl Urban's Unforgettable Action Thriller on Netflix After More Than a Decade

Summary

Netflix's Top 10 Movies chart shows that the 2012 movie "Dredd" is currently ranked No. 5, gaining popularity over a decade after its release.

"Dredd," despite its underperformance at the box office, has garnered significant acclaim and is now regarded as a legitimate cult classic, boasting an impressive Certified Fresh 80% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

The burgeoning popularity of Karl Urban, due to his notable role in "The Boys" and involvement in other prominent franchises, may be responsible for attracting a fresh influx of viewers to "Dredd."

Dredd, starring Karl Urban in the lead role, continues to gain popularity on Netflix over a decade since its release. This second big screen adaptation of the Judge Dredd comics, following the 1995 version featuring Sylvester Stallone, is set in the futuristic city of Mega City One. The storyline revolves around Judge Dredd joining forces with psychic Cassandra (Olivia Thirlby) to defeat a powerful drug lord (Lena Headey).

At the time of writing, Dredd has reached the impressive position of No. 5 on Netflix's Top 10 Movies chart. It is noteworthy that this resurgence in popularity coincides with the movie's original premiere on September 21, 2012, exactly 11 years ago. Facing tough competition from more contemporary titles such as You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah (No. 2) and Love Again (No. 4).

Dredd is a Bona Fide Cult Classic

Dredd received positive reviews at the time, earning a Certified Fresh rating of 80% on Rotten Tomatoes. However, it did not perform well at the box office, grossing only $41.5 million and failing to cover its production budget, which was estimated to be as high as $45 million. Despite this, the movie's reputation has grown over the years.

Part of this is likely attributed to the rising success of Karl Urban, who played the lead role in Dredd. Urban has since become one of the main stars of the popular Prime Video superhero series, The Boys, which has already spawned multiple spinoffs after just three seasons and with a fourth season on the horizon. Additionally, Urban has appeared in major franchise blockbusters such as Thor: Ragnarok, Riddick, Star Trek Into Darkness, and Star Trek Beyond, reprising his role as Bones from the 2009 Star Trek film.

Urban's notoriety has undoubtedly attracted a plethora of new viewers to the 2012 film, who subsequently value its distinctive and exhilarating storytelling approach. Should the movie continue to thrive on streaming platforms, it has the potential to reinvigorate conversations regarding a sequel to Dredd. Considering Urban's ability to captivate audiences in the present day, it is highly plausible that Dredd 2 would transcend its cult status and achieve genuine commercial success.