Sylvester Stallone is set to be replaced by New Zealander Karl Urban in the upcoming Judge Dredd reboot, according to reports.
The comic book anti-hero is to return for a sequel 13 years after Stallone's original 1995 movie, with a script by novelist/screenwriter Alex Garland.
Stallone won't feature in the new 3D film and the role of the Judge will be offered to Star Trek actor Urban instead, according online reports.
“Yeah, that's correct, that's a big rumour going on,” Urban told MTV news at Comic-Con. “I can't say too much at this point but it's lookin' good.”
Urban also told MTV he has been a fan of the comic for decades and that “it would be a privilege and a pleasure to be able to bring that to life”.
“We thought Karl was super-cool and super-famous already, but Judge Dredd? That’s HUGE,” says 3 News entertainment reporter Kate Rodger.
Urban features on the first episode of Rodger’s new TV show Reel Late with Kate, which screens on TV3 this Sunday at 10:25pm. The pair reviews French prison hit A Prophet and talk about Urban’s rising Hollywood career.
The Judge Dredd film is due for release in late 2011, or early 2012.
3 News / WENN.com