It may unsurprising (and also very exciting) news; but HBO has placed an order for a ‘Watchmen’ series based on David Lindelof’s pilot. The show is set to premier in 2019 and will not be a straight adaptation of the Hugo winning masterpiece. Instead it is said to be “an original story that remixes [the graphic novel]”. This new project is set to star Jeremy Irons, Don Johnson, Tim Blake Nelson, Louis Gossett Jr and Regina King. Lindelof will serve as Exec. Producer and you would assume he will also act as show runner like he did with ‘The Leftovers’.
This whole project seems like such a smart idea by HBO. It gives them a new IP to prop up once ‘Game of Thrones’ ends. It not only gets them into the comic book genre, but allows them to work with characters that will be feel incredibly at home on their network. It also reunites the channel with David Lindelof. While ‘The Leftovers’ was never a giant hit for the company, it always maintained an enthusiastic fan base that were always proselytizing for it. The HBO head of programming has already sung the praises of the pilot and spoke of his desire to get it into production as quickly as possible.
For fans of the graphic novel I think this is a cause for celebration; and let’s be honest here, DC fans need a win. Some die-hard’s might be a little nervous hearing that this won’t be a direct adaptation but will instead use Alan Moore & Dave Gibbon’s seminal work as an inspiration. For those doubting fans, I would point to Zack Snyder’s ‘Watchmen’. A film that was incredibly faithful to the source material and ultimately suffered because of it. I think if HBO and Warner Bros. handle this correctly, it could be the next “different, but also great” page to screen adaptation.
Are you excited for a ‘Watchmen’ television adaptation? Do you think it can ever live up the great saturday morning cartoon? let us know in the comments and be sure to checkout our homepage and follow us on Facebook & Twitter. Always check back with Boom Howdy for more up-to-date news, reviews & podcasts!
