“Watchmen” is the gold standard in the world of comic book storytelling. If you’re a reader of comic books, and have been a fan for years, odds are you’ve read and understood why Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons‘ tale of superheroes and the end of the world is often regarded as the greatest story the medium has ever seen. Now, Damon Lindelof is ready it take “Watchmen” into the next phase, with his HBO series that serves as a sequel to the classic ‘80s story.
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As seen in the first teaser for “Watchmen,” there are a ton of callbacks to the original comic book series, while also hinting at some very large changes. From a militia wearing Rorschach’s mask to the appearance of someone who seems to be Adrian Veidt (Jeremy Irons), there’s enough classic “Watchmen” here to get fans excited. But then you layer on the fact that the police wear yellow masks, Regina King seems to be a new superhero, and plenty of other modern allusions, and it’s clear that Lindelof is trying to also distance himself from comparisons with the original.
But you can’t have a “Watchmen” story without the ticking of the Doomsday Clock.
The cast for Lindelof’s upcoming drama includes Regina King, Jeremy Irons, Don Johnson, Jean Smart, Tim Blake Nelson, Louis Gossett Jr., Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Hong Chau, Andrew Howard, Tom Mison, Frances Fisher, Jacob Ming-Trent, Sara Vickers, Dylan Schombing, and James Wolk.
“Watchmen” debuts on HBO in the fall.
Here’s the synopsis:
Set in an alternate history where “superheroes” are treated as outlaws, this drama series from executive producer Damon Lindelof embraces the nostalgia of the original groundbreaking graphic novel of the same name while attempting to break new ground of its own.