HBO Contemplating a Watchmen TV Series

Posted by on October 2nd, 2015   Filed under: Action, Books/Comics, Rumours, TV
Source: Collider

watchmenhbo

Before Zack Snyder was given the keys to the entire DC Cinematic Universe, he directed a very different kind of superhero movie for Warner Brothers that was also based on a DC property. Watchmen received mostly positive reviews back in 2009 but it earned just $185 million worldwide. That isn’t a huge surprise considering the R-rating and subject matter, but it still feels like a disappointment for such a highly anticipated movie based on a beloved graphic novel. This has led some folks to wonder if Alan Moore’s masterpiece simply wasn’t well-suited for the big screen and if it might work better as a TV series. Word on the street is that HBO has been asking that very question and discussions about a potential Watchmen TV series are currently underway.

According to Collider, Zack Snyder has been holding meetings with HBO to discuss the possibility of a Watchmen TV series. HBO has since confirmed this report with the following statement:

“Preliminary discussions regarding Watchmen have occurred but we have no additional information and no deals are in place.”

What remains unclear is whether this would be a retelling of the original graphic novel or something else entirely. In 2012, DC released a collection of eight limited series called Before Watchmen focusing on the back story of several Watchmen characters. Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons were not involved and Moore in particular was critical of the new comics, but it is possible they are looking to adapt this material instead. Would you watch the Watchmen on TV? What would you like to see in a Watchmen TV series?



  • Matt Gaffney

    Always thought a mini-series on HBO would’ve been a much better fit for the original graphic novel. I’d watch whatever they end up putting together with this.

  • 1138sw

    I enjoyed the Snyder version and though I loved the graphic novel I thought the movie was tighter and actually tad better executed in the end. The movie was very underrated and under appreciated.

    It was definitely Snyder’s best for me other than 300. The rest of his movie catalog really disappoints including the MOS.

    The Watchmen is definitely well suited for Mini series material and yeah I would be into it for sure.

  • Before watchmen actually consisted of 8 limited series and one one-shot issue, totalling 37 issues.

    I thought the film was ok, but nowhere near as great as the comic. Snyder was gratuitously ramping up the violence and lingering on fight scenes that in many cases in the comic only were single frames.

    And for Alan Moore not to like an adaptation doesn’t take much. As far as I know he hasn’t liked any of the many adaptations of his work.

  • Sean

    Oh it was 8 separate series? Man, they really milked that, didn’t they?

    I’ll update the post, thanks!

  • Once they decided to do it they pulled no stops. Watchmen has continually been one of their top selling books for the last 30 years so it only make sense, I guess :)

  • Glen

    The “Before Watchmen” mini serie(s) were written by different artists and writers and were prequels to the graphic novel. Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, the original creative team of “The Watchmen” had nothing to do with it.
    I doubt the HBO series will go into the worlds of “Before Watchmen”.