Helmed from The Leftover‘s executive producer, Damon Lindelof, HBO’s upcoming Watchmen series adaptation embraces a new narrative thread in Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ universe —only remnants of the original work are present in the series’ recent trailer, with new characters and stories occupying what looks like an extended universe within the namesake’s canon. Nicole Kassell is credited as directing the pilot with a script by Lindelof.
None of the personal lives of the original Watchmen appear to be at the series’ forefront, but instead the exploration of the lives of new modern-day vigilantes take center stage. Earlier released teasers, described HBO’s Watchmen as neither a sequel nor a remake, and has been said to not have any direct correlation to any of the events depicted in the comics.
However, the comic book’s earlier 2009 adaptation directed by Zack Snyder can be seen as a large visual and style influence on the new project. Despite the Warner Bros. film being heavily criticized by fans and critics alike, the film’s dark tonal shifts and sense of humor seem to be an even larger influence as well.
Set in an alternate reality where superheroes are viewed as outlaws, HBO’s Watchmen 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.
King leads the cast as Angela Abar, a woman who wears two masks: one as a lead detective in The Tulsa Police Force and another as wife and mother of three. Jeremy Irons is set to play the aging and imperious Lord of a British Manor, while Don Johnson acts as Judd Crawford, the Tulsa Chief of Police. Jean Smart plays FBI Agent Laurie Blake, with Tim Blake Nelson as Detective Looking Glass and Louis Gossett Jr. as Will Reeves.
The series also includes other supporting characters such as: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II acts as Cal Abar, Tom Mison as Mr. Phillips; Frances Fisher as Jane Crawford and Sara Vickers as Ms. Crookshanks. Meanwhile, other additional cast include Hong Chau as a mysterious and rich, Lady Trieu, alongside Dylan Schombing.
Watchmen is produced for HBO by White Rabbit in association with Warner Bros. Television; executive producer/writer Damon Lindelof; executive producer/director, Nicole Kassell; executive producer, Tom Spezialy; executive producer/director, Stephen Williams and executive producer, Joseph Iberti. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross score the project.
Below the official trailer can be viewed: