Defying traditional expectations within its own genre — much like the source material — HBO’s Watchmen, released its official teaser earlier today. Instead of showing the personal lives of the titular Watchmen, as they deal with political corruption and madness, the new series aims to showcase what vigilantism looks like in modern times.
Considered to be the masterpiece by critics and fans, the dark and disturbing atmosphere present throughout the original, will take center stage in HBO’s adaptation. Along with the heavily textured sound of Nine Inch Nail’s Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross — the duo responsible for The Social Network and Gone Girl OST.
Although, based on Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ namesake work, the show takes place in an alternate reality where superheroes are viewed as outlaws, following unfamiliar characters in a completely different set-up and story. The cast 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.
The comic book was also previously adapted, as a feature film by Warner Bros and Zack Snyder in 2009 to harsh reviews by several of the work’s hardcore fans. Yet despite being heavily criticized, the film contained Snyder’s signature visual style which can be seen as a heavy influence in the recent teaser.
The new Watchmen is neither a sequel nor a remake, but does make major use of signature Watchmen visual cues — Rorschach’s mask and an aged Ozymandias — despite not having any direct correlation to any of the events depicted in the comics.
Produced for HBO by White Rabbit in association with Warner Bros. Television, based on characters from DC; executive producer/writer Damon Lindelof; executive producer/director, Nicole Kassell; executive producer, Tom Spezialy; executive producer/director, Stephen Williams; executive producer, Joseph Iberti. Watchmen will debut on HBO in the fall.
Below the official teaser can be viewed: