It could be us, and hopefully soon if HBO closes a deal that appears to be in the works. That deal would bring Watchmen to the premium cable network under the control of Damon Lindelof, co-creator of Lost and The Leftovers.
Originally published in 1986 and collected into graphic novel form in 1987, Watchmen was created By Alan Moore with the help of Dave Gibbons and John Higgins. Named to Time’s 100 best novels, it tells the story of a group of past their prime superheroes investigating the murder of one of their own. Part of its success is owed to the fact that the story represents a dark allegory, used to reflect contemporary anxieties and a deconstruction of what it means to be a superhero.
At this early stage it’s not known what story Lindelof will be telling. Will this be a retelling of the original story? Will it adapt the prequels ‘Before Watchmen’ or be something else entirely?
Either way the property is in good hands. Lindelof is coming off a success with The Leftovers which was critically acclaimed. That program itself was serious and dealt with heavy topics such as brokenness and existentialism; themes that fit well within the Watchmen lore.
The move also makes sense for HBO since every other network has a comic book or graphic novel property. AMC has had success with The Walking Dead and Preacher, FX has Legion which has just been picked up for a second season and Netflix has the Marvel properties in full swing. Other programs like Agents of Shield, Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow and Gotham have all found audiences and are successful in their own right.
HBO is normally very consistent with its high quality programming which bodes well for a property that deserves to be properly translated onto the screen. The 2009 film adaptation by Zack Snyder was economically disappointing and received mostly mixed reviews.
HBO has not made any official comment on the project.
