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Video Interview: Writer Alex Garland Talks 'Dredd', 'The Raid', Sci-Fi

by Alex Billington
September 18, 2012

"I am the law!" Ready to talk about Judge Dredd? Arriving in theaters this weekend is the gritty, badass new take on the 2000 AD comic book character, played by Karl Urban this time around. Dredd 3D is directed by Pete Travis, but the screenplay is credited to Alex Garland, well known in the sci-fi world as writer of the scripts 28 Days Later, Sunshine for Danny Boyle and Never Let Me Go. I first saw Dredd at Comic-Con (and loved it), but it also just premiered in Midnight Madness at TIFF, where I was given the chance to meet-up with Garland for a quick interview. He's one of my favorite writers and I jumped at the opportunity.

This interview is mostly spoiler-free on anything Dredd 3D, but does get heavy on Judge Dredd details. I also had to ask him about those bullsh*t The Raid comparisons, which definitely seem to frustrate him, too.

Here's my full video interview with Dredd 3D screenwriter Alex Garland, filmed in Toronto:

Screenwriters are always some of my favorite people to talk to, especially because they're truly the ones who craft and design stories. I first met Alex Garland at the Telluride Film Festival when he was there for Never Let Me Go (we later interviewed director Mark Romanek). At the time we ended up in a big discussion about 3D as he was just gearing up to start shooting Dredd down in South Africa, which is why he references the crews that Neill Blomkamp shot with (on District 9). After seeing Dredd 3D, I'm so glad I got to talk with Garland, as I loved the movie they made, and I wanted to chat with him about crafting the world and staying true to core values of the comic book character. I hope you enjoyed the interview. Be sure to go see Dredd!

Lionsgate is releasing Dredd 3D in theaters everywhere starting on September 21st. Judgment is Coming.

Filed under Interview, SciFi, TIFF 12

From around the web:

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=507870380 Lee Platt

Always had time for Alex Garland. Nice interview AB.
http://www.thepixelpuse.com/ Aj Meadows

What a badass dude!
wrags

This was incredible guys. I have to say I hate the five minute trailers and analyzing of characters voices or director choices alot of these sites have. the trailers ruined prometheus, and the over analyzing before the movie came out ruined Batman for me. But stuff like this is great. I've read dredd since I was a kid. The day I saw the raid I first said "God Iwish this was called Robocop instead" then I said. "this remind a me of the one shot Dredds I read as kid where just for first few panels or so dredd has to take out a drug den or something" I was floored when I saw the dredd trailer.but love the comic and love the raid so I just didn't care. Having all this cleared up is great for a budding writer.keep up the good work
http://twitter.com/CringeRadio Mike Smith

Isn't it odd that Pete Travis is nowhere to be found for the promotion of Dredd?
- http://www.facebook.com/people/Dan-Reborn/100001419947845 Dan Reborn
  
  Hes busy's working so I was told.
http://www.facebook.com/Lincolnasmith Lincoln Smith

Alex Garland is a fantastic writer, obviously incredibly intelligent, critical and creative, thanks for putting him up on here. Really looking forward to Dredd in 3D.
DAVIDPD

Ah yeah. Thanks AB.
theig

Great interview, Alex! Garland is probably at the top of the list for my favorite writers. It's refreshing to see, in the sea of promotional nonsense that's out there, how honest and uninhibited he talks about his work. And nice quip about Rama at the end there!
axalon

Thanks for posting this Alex, been a huge fan of Garland ever since 'The Beach' (the novel, not the movie)
MITNG

Someone's not telling the truth. Somebody ripped off of someone. They were just too similar. I get the whole 80's Vietnam War stories, but fuck that. I don't believe this guy for a second and how he looked away from the camera when the question was posed and started to touching his face. Dodgy.
- Guest
  
  It's virtually impossible for him to be lying, Dredd was written 3 years before they shot it.
MITNG

And Alex, could you have not just let the man explain himself before telling him that you thought the rumors, he stole the idea for Dredd from The Raid, were bullshit?