To say “Watchmen” is a comic book property that might actually be unfilmable is a bit of an understatement. For decades, since its release in the ‘80s, people tried to turn Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons superhero epic into a film or TV series. In 2009, Zack Snyder succeeded in his quest to bring the concept to the big screen, though for many, it just proved that “Watchmen” is still impossible to properly translate into a different medium.
Well, Damon Lindelof seeming agrees, but also disagrees, with that sentiment. As seen in the new trailer for HBO’s upcoming series “Watchmen,” it’s clear that Lindelof has taken the challenge of bringing what many believe is the best graphic novel in history to TV screens, but is not even going to attempt to adapt the actual story. Instead, what HBO and Lindelof have done is take the world that “Watchmen” created way back when and translate it to modern times, in the form of a sequel series.
And with the idea of “Watchmen” actually being a sequel with no basis in the already printed canon, the new HBO series is drawing all sorts of intrigue from fans of the classic story and new folks who aren’t as devoted to the comic book series as some are. For both groups, the trailer promises a new superhero series that is focused on the idea of why people wear masks, while also firmly placing itself in the world that Moore and Gibbons created. Will Lindelof be successful? We have no idea, but it sure does appear like he’s going to give it one hell of an effort.
The incredible cast is led by Regina King, who is joined by Don Johnson, Tim Blake Nelson, Louis Gossett Jr., Jeremy Irons, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and Jean Smart.
“Watchmen” debuts on HBO on October 20.
Here’s the synopsis:
Set in an alternate history where masked vigilantes are treated as outlaws, WATCHMEN, from executive producer Damon Lindelof (Emmy® winner for “Lost”; HBO’s “The Leftovers”) embraces the nostalgia of the original groundbreaking graphic novel of the same name, while attempting to break new ground of its own. Nicole Kassell directs the pilot from a script written by Lindelof.