HBO Confirms They Are In Talks With Director Zack Snyder About ‘Watchmen’ Series
A Watchmen series for HBO, based on the graphic novels, may be in development. Zack Snyder, the director behind the 2009 The Watchmen film, is in negotiations with the cable network to bring the DC Comics novel to the small screen.
Yet, it may be a bit early for fans to get excited. According to a statement recently put out by HBO, “preliminary discussions regarding Watchmen have occurred, but we have no additional information and no deals are in place.”
In a report by Variety, insiders close to the potential HBO Watchmen series development say DC Entertainment owner, Warner Bros., will be involved. However, Warner Bros. declined to comment about the project. Warner Bros. was also the studio behind the 2009 movie.
Zack Snyder is no stranger to comic book adaptations. He directed the Superman remake Man of Steel, and more recently, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, scheduled to be released in 2016. He is also the executive producer for the upcoming film Suicide Squad, which will also be released next year.
Even though we can’t yet get a sneak peek at a Watchmen HBO series, as previously reported by the Inquisitr, movie trailers for Batman v Superman are set to be released later this month.
Additionally, Snyder will continue to be busy the next few years on other comic superhero movies. He will be directing a pair of Justice League films, producing a film adaptation of Wonder Woman sometime in 2017, and has a hand in an Aquaman movie set for 2018.
Should HBO move forward with the project, they will be joining the league of extraordinary television networks that have also bought comic book adaptations to television. You can watch Agents of S.H.E.I.L.D. and Agent Carter on ABC, while CW has The Arrow and Flash. Additionally, Gotham, the Batman prequel series, is on Fox, and Daredevil can be found on Netflix. Of course, AMC has the wildly popular The Walking Dead and its spin-off Fear The Walking Dead.
The graphic novel-to-television genre must rate well with viewers, as CBS will air their new comic series, Supergirl, later this month. Fox and AMC will be launching new shows next year, Lucifer and Preacher, respectively.
Want to get a sense for what a Watchmen HBO series may look like. Here is a trailer from the 2009 movie.
As reported by Collider, we have yet to see if the Watchmen HBO series will be based on the original novel or on the 2012 Before Watchmen prequel. Of course, there is also the possibility that it may be a sequel, or even a brand new take on Watchmen entirely.
Watchmen was created by Alan Moore, artist Dave Gibbons, and colorist John Higgins, and the 12-issue series was first published in 1986. Time magazine included it as one of its 100 best novels.
Known for its mature and graphic content, the novel takes place in an alternate 1980s world where superheroes have been outlawed or have jobs with the government.
So, while HBO has stated that talks of a Watchmen series are happening, there is no definite confirmation that an actual show will materialize. However, fans are speculating that making a Watchmen series is a smart move for HBO as they must be looking for the next big hit. And with the popularity of other superhero TV shows coupled with Zack Snyder’s directing experience, it only makes sense.
Even though the 2009 movie adaptation did poorly at the box office, an HBO series based on the Watchmen graphic novel may be the cable network’s next big thing just as Game of Thrones has been for them lately.
(Photos courtesy: Gareth Cattermole – Featured/Johannes Simon – Zack Snyder/ Scott Gries – Dave Gibbons/Getty Images)
