Did you know that one of the most iconic rivalries in Hollywood history almost had a completely different outcome? Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone weren’t just competitors in the action genre—they were practically enemies, with Schwarzenegger once tricking Stallone into starring in a disastrous flop (https://www.slashfilm.com/1204694/arnold-schwarzenegger-tricked-sylvester-stallone-into-the-flop-stop-or-my-mom-will-shoot/) to prove he was better. But here’s where it gets controversial: Schwarzenegger was actually set to play the lead in 1995’s Judge Dredd—a film that would have been a total clash of styles and ideologies. And this is the part most people miss: the version of Judge Dredd that almost became a reality sounds way better than the one we got. Let’s dive deeper.
The proposed Judge Dredd script was written by Peter Briggs, the man behind Hellboy (https://www.slashfilm.com/1730839/tony-scott-movies-ranked/), who had already proven his talent with an acclaimed spec script for Alien vs. Predator in 1991. Briggs was approached by Tony Scott, the director of Top Gun and True Romance (https://www.slashfilm.com/1730839/tony-scott-movies-ranked/), to adapt the 2000 A.D. comic series, which is where the character of Judge Dredd originated. Briggs wasn’t just excited—he had a bold idea straight from the source material. In a 2020 interview with Bloody-Disgusting (https://bloody-disgusting.com/editorials/3623437/writer-peter-briggs-remembers-arnold-schwarzenegger-judge-dredd-horror-movie-never-phantom-limbs/), he explained:
"So, I wanted to do, from the outset, Judge Death. Because, well, he’s awesome. And the Dark Judges are terrific [like Death, the Dark Judges are undead, interdimensional versions of the Judges from Dredd’s reality]. They are the antithesis of what the Judge system stands for, being from a parallel universe in which all life is outlawed. Life is the ultimate crime, and death is the answer. From the outset, for me there was no other storyline other than that."
It all sounds too good to be true, right? Well, that’s exactly what happened. Briggs’ vision was ultimately scrapped due to political interference and creative clashes. The project collapsed when one of the producers, Charlie Lippincott, openly opposed the idea of a film featuring Judge Death, as Briggs recounted in a direct quote: "Yeah. Look, it’s nothing personal, but I just wanna say that I’m going to do everything I can to make sure that this script with you doesn’t happen."
What followed was a chaotic shift in the project. Tony Scott and Schwarzenegger eventually left, and Sylvester Stallone and Danny Cannon took over. The final film? A disaster that’s far from Stallone’s best work (https://www.slashfilm.com/1254664/best-sylvester-stallone-movies-ranked/), and a commercial and creative flop that added to his legacy. But here’s the kicker: if Briggs’ original vision had been realized with Schwarzenegger in the lead, who wouldn’t want to see that film? If nothing else, it couldn’t have been worse than the version we actually got.
Now, here’s the question: Do you think the Judge Dredd that almost came to life would have been better than the one that did? Or would you rather have the version that ended up on screen? Share your thoughts in the comments—we’re curious to hear your take!
