'Watchmen' TV Series: HBO Officially Orders Pilot Episode

After “The Leftovers'” Damon Lindelof posted a tease on his Instagram this week, it’s now confirmed that HBO’s “Watchmen” TV series will push through. A series pilot order has been made to bring Alan Moore and Dave Gibbon’s DC Comics classic to the small screen. Lindelof is also confirmed to direct the pilot episode.
“Watchmen” was a 1986 graphic novel that takes place in an alternate world where American superheroes changed the course of history—the US winning the Vietnam war, Nixon still the president and where the cold war is in full effect. It’s a dark and revolutionary retelling of the truth behind these superheroes as they grapple both with their own personal demons and threats of war.

Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach in Watchmen (2009). Photo via Warner Bros. Pictures.

‘Watchmen’ a rumor no more, finally coming to HBO

It’s been a circulating rumor that HBO has been working on “Watchmen” for some time now, and it seems like the studio has already perfected the treatment. According to a report by Variety, the network is officially ordering a pilot for the series, as well as additional script orders should the pilot be successfully ordered to a series. And as Lindelof’s role as the creator of the series has been going on as rumors, it’s also confirmed that he will direct the pilot episode.
Lindelof had been very vocal about his desire to recreate “Watchmen” for the small screen but also wanted to be faithful to the comic book source material before committing to the project. “The Leftovers,” the director’s previous series, recently finished its three-season run on the network and has enjoyed positive reactions from its viewers. It went on to be one of the network’s critically-acclaimed shows. And given how “The Leftovers” had a dark tone, it seems like the perfect warm-up before Lindelof finally takes on “Watchmen.”
It’s currently unclear how the series will differ from Zack Snyder’s 2009 movie of the same name. But whatever Lindelof does for the project, it’s sure to be a massive TV series that sets itself apart by being a brooding superhero show that’s entirely faithful to its already dark comic book source.