Unfortunately, we’re never getting a Dredd sequel. The 2012 remake was a far superior version to the 1995 stinker, but the box office returns have effectively shut down hopes of a sequel being made to the Karl Urban vehicle. Still, that doesn’t mean that executives can’t use some pieces of the property and that’s where the lovely Ma-Ma comes in. Madeline Madrigal was a psychopathic prostitute who managed to rise through the ranks and turn into a drug kingpin. Now, for those who forgot the fate of Lena Headey’s antagonist, she ultimately dies as the Judge determined execution for the murderous vixen. However, in an era where there are so few female characters in the nature of Ma-Ma, it would actually be great to expand on her story. In fact, a min-series could be ideal for Ma-Ma’s rise in power.
Watching someone’s rise to fame and fortune is nothing new. However, exploring Ma-Ma’s world gives us more opportunity to dive deeper into the seedy underbelly of Mega City One. It’s no secret how riddled with crime this world is. At the age of 14, Ma-Ma was actually arrested for solicitation. Exactly how did Ma-Ma go into prostitution at such a young age? Was this an example of teenage angst? Where was her parents during this time? Are they dead? Or are they just deadbeats? The themes of a woman crawling from the underground to become a drugkin could have some important commentary on the way women are treated, especially in the criminal world. Ma-Ma’s rise to power all started when she killed her pimp because of him murdering her boyfriend.
It’s not too often that the world of prostitution is examined. Sure, we get the gest of it, but how does it look in the future? Are prostitutes treated as low-class sex objects? Is it possible for them to even become high-class citizens? That’s the beauty of diving back into the Dredd world that there are so many questions that can lead us down interesting avenues. How are judges at this point during this time? For a place that has these officers choose whether they can be judge, jury, or executioner, it’s surprisingly riddled with tons of crime. How does Ma-Ma fit into a world where corruption and violence is around every corner? When it comes to Dystopian films of this nature, they often show the worse that could possibly happen to humanity.
It would be great to not only dig into Ma-Ma’s past but explain how the world of Dredd has gotten to such a dire state. Surely, not everyone wakes up one morning and decides to be a violent criminal. It takes years of oppression, or other traumatizing events to get to this period in time. The film briefly explains why the judges are vital to the economy, but tying back the rise of Ma-Ma to the struggles of the world of Dredd can really create something meaningful. A Ma-Ma spin-off doesn’t have to be some political driven story that lingers with you once the credits roll. The themes can easily be subtle, because it would be a shame if the spin-off didn’t come in the same tone and griminess as the 2012 remake. Plus, it would be great to eventually focus on Ma-Ma wiping out the three gangs that eventually got her to the top floor: The Peyote Kings, Red Dragons, and The Judged. To see how each gang maneuvered could really add some fun characteristics to a world that’s already full of color. Plus, who wouldn’t want to dive into The Great Block War that’s sure to result in over-the-top chaos and brutal violence?
There’s plenty of ways to tackle the story of Ma-Ma and that’s what make her worldview so intriguing. We know exactly how her story ends, but the path of seeing her get to the point of becoming the top drug lord of Mega City One is a fun journey to follow. The content for a great story is all there. Her story sticks out because how often do see films about female drug lords? As I previously stated, it’s a unique perspective to see through a women’s eyes how she navigates the criminal underbelly, especially a very corrupt and violent world as Mega City One. It’s a shame that we’ll never get a true sequel to the 2012 feature. It’s understandable why executives refuse to shell out money for it as strictly about business, nothing less, nothing more. However, should studios decide to open the chapter of Dredd again then it would be great if that focus on Ma-Ma.Dragons
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