DC graphic novel Watchmen is copping a “remixed” series on HBO in 2019, and you can thank Damon Lindelof for it – writer known for a bunch of titles including Lost, Star Trek, and World War Z.
[jwplayer BJc4no54]
While Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ original Watchmen was based in an alternate 1980s America, Lindelof’s Watchmen will be set in present day with brand new costumed superheroes and a brand new story line.
Back in May, when a Watchmen telly series was in early talks, Lindelof posted a brilliant open letter explaining:
We have no desire to “adapt” the twelve issues Mr. Moore and Mr. Gibbons created thirty years ago. Those issues are sacred ground and they will not be retread nor recreated nor reproduced nor rebooted.
They will however be remixed. Because the bass lines to those familiar tracks are just too good and we’d be fools not to sample them.
…Some of the characters will be unknown. New faces. New masks to cover them.”
You can read the full open letter – almost as long as the 2009 Watchmen film – here.
And yes, Lindelof is well aware of how beloved Watchmen is as he kicked off his letter with the words: “I am the unscrupulous bastard currently defiling something that you love.”
Per Variety, the series already has a humongous and impressive cast including: Regina King, Jeremy Irons, Don Johnson, Tim Blake Nelson, Louis Gossett Jr., Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Adelaide Clemens, and Andrew Howard to name about half already locked in.
Lindelof will write and serve as executive producer, Nicole Kassell will direct the pilot episode, and Stephen Williams will also direct.
HBO celebrated the news via their Twitter, earlier today:
Nothing ever ends. #WatchmenHBO #DamonLindelof pic.twitter.com/ioJU0dQipw
— HBO (@HBO) August 17, 2018
I would say the spectacularly long film adaption of Watchmen is up on Netflix but they got rid of it. *sad face*
P.S Lindelof is such a legend.
