October 7 Will Be A Huge Day For Judge Dredd Fans

Published Sep 17, 2026, 11:30 PM EDT

Jared is a writer, editor, and Communications Studies graduate who loves popular nerd culture (almost anything to do with Marvel, DC, Star Wars, or The Lord of the Rings) and the interactive storytelling medium. Jared's first console was the PS1, wherein he fell for Spider-Man, Spyro the Dragon, and Crash Bandicoot.

Almost half a century later, Judge Dredd and 2000 AD hit an incredible milestone recently when they reached Prog 2500. The latest Judge Dredd storyline, Oubliette, has concluded its 19-part run, and 2000 AD Prog 2500 gave readers a taste of what to look forward to going forward with a suspenseful prologue.

Anyone who hasn’t already decided to indulge in 2000 AD and fall in love with Judge Dredd stories has no excuse not to now, seeing as there’s a phenomenal new jumping-on point right around the corner. 2000 AD progs have scattered releases between the UK and the US, and for US readers, you won’t want to miss out on Prog 2501 this October.

Fans got a glimpse of Judge Dredd’s The New Future via a brief prologue in 2000 AD Prog 2500, which is not even out yet in the US. This prologue adeptly set the tone for what readers can expect from this new storyline. As per AIPT:

“In the wake of Judge Maitland’s failed experiment to defund the Judges and instead invest in community and education, The Justice Department are in chaos. Who is to blame for what happened – and what are they being blamed FOR, exactly? Now, the Special Judicial Squad (SJS) have been brought in to interrogate Judge Dredd, Chief Judge Logan, and Judge Beeny to investigate potential treason within the Justice Department. As the corrupt Judge Hernandez continues to consolidate power in the background, working with extremist media organization Glenn News, the net tightens around Judge Dredd and the Law he holds dear. What is The New Future for Mega-City One?”

But as tantalizing as this prologue is, it only makes Prog 2501 that much more thrilling as the first actual chapter of The New Future, releasing in the US on October 7. This arc promises to be pivotal for Judge Dredd, and it follows in the incredible footsteps of the beloved story that precedes it: A Better World.

It’s The Start Of A New Judge Dredd Era In 2000 AD

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Unlettered preview pages from Judge Dredd: The New Future in 2000 AD have now been revealed ahead of the Prog 2501’s September and October release dates. Moreover, the solicitation for 2000 AD Prog 2501 reads as follows:

2000 AD is the weekly sci-fi anthology which brings you hard-hitting Thrills and cosmic excitement every single week — it’s The Galaxy’s Greatest Comic!

This week, the team of Rob Williams, Arthur Wyatt and Henry Flint return for Judge Dredd: The New Future, the sequel to the acclaimed storyline A Better World! Dredd’s been through Hell this year — but we’re not done with him yet!

While every Judge Dredd story is fairly new-reader-friendly and more or less self-contained in the rich tapestry of lore that’s been established in the last 49 years, fans are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the A Better World storyline that The New Future behaves as a direct sequel to.

2000 AD Prog 2501 is scheduled to be released on September 23, 2026, in the UK, and on October 7, 2026, in the US.

Judge Dredd

The Judge Dredd franchise is based on the dystopian law enforcement character Judge Dredd, who originated from the British comic series 2000 AD in 1977. Created by John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra, Judge Dredd serves as both judge and executioner in the futuristic and crime-ridden Mega-City One. The franchise blends science fiction with dark satire, critiquing totalitarianism and authoritarian justice systems. Over time, Judge Dredd has evolved into a multimedia franchise that includes comics, films, and video games, with two major film adaptations: Judge Dredd (1995) starring Sylvester Stallone and Dredd (2012) starring Karl Urban.