HBO Officially Orders 'Watchmen' Adaptation; Damon Lindelof To Helm Series Pilot
HBO is officially moving forward with their TV adaptation of the classic limited comic series "Watchmen" after putting the project on hold since 2015. The network has ordered a pilot episode to be helmed by "Lost" and "The Leftovers" showrunner Damon Lindelof.
Set in an alternate reality where the existence of superheroes altered the outcome of the Vietnam War, the seminal graphic novel is a revolutionary deconstruction of traditional superhero stories. The series showcases deeply flawed heroes battling with their inner demons as the Cold War escalates.
Following Zack Snyder's polarizing feature film adaptation of the graphic novel, HBO has been trying to adapt the story for television. Now a pilot for a TV adaptation has been ordered by the network as well as additional scripts should the pilot get the go signal for a full series.
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For quite some time, it has been rumored that Lost's Damon Lindelof will be in charge of the "Watchmen" TV adaptation. The writer/producer is no stranger to well-loved series having worked on Star Trek Into Darkness and Prometheus after his stint on the hit ABC drama series.
The rumors proved to be true as Lindelof recently shared a photo on Instagram of what appears to be writer's room with a statue of Nite Owl. The post didn't have much in terms of details except for the caption "Day One." Nevertheless, this was enough for fans to get the message that a TV adaptation is pretty much on its way.
Earlier this year, HBO President Casey Bloys revealed that the series might not be a straight adaptation of the graphic novel. Bloys cited the "Watchmen" comic's length as inadequate in terms of providing enough material for a full series and HBO will likely include original material to make up for it.
"I don't want to talk too much about it, but Damon is thinking about it in a way exactly as you describe it," Bloys said. "Which is, how do you take the material and derive from it a TV show, without making it a literal translation?"
