HBO’s Watchmen Star Don Johnson Opens Up About the Secretive New Series

HBO is bringing the world of Watchmen to television in a new series from Damon Lindelof. The series stars Don Johnson and Regina King. Plot details from the series remain under wraps. What we do know is that the series will not be a retelling of the story from Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’s seminal comic book, but an expansion of that world.

Johnson spoke to Collider about the project, touching on his knowledge of the source material. “I was aware of it because it’s an iconic piece of material,” he said. “It’s probably the classic graphic novel. Everyone refers to it as the primer for all comic genres and stuff like that. This [series] is beyond comics.”

Johnson describes Lindelof as a “friend and former employee.” Johnson gave Lindelof one of his “first jobs” when he hired him for the series Nash Bridges. Johnson says fans “won’t believe what Damon has done with it and how amazing it is.”

Johnson also had kind things to say about working with King. “There are certain actors you get each other from jump street,” he says. “Others you have to work a little harder to make a connection and eventually you do. But Regina was like putting on a pair of well worn, comfortable Levi’s. She’s a wonderful actress. Talk about someone who can hit it back. She can put any kind of spin on it you want. [tennis reference] That was a lot of fun. We just had a blast working together. I’m hoping that I get the opportunity to do other things with her cause she is a gifted, gifted actress.”

While Johnson couldn’t reveal more about the show’s plot, we can make some speculative inferences based on his comments about King. One is that they will share plenty of screentime. Another is that one or both of them may not be back if Watchmen returns for a second season.

HBO’s Watchmen wrapped filming in June. Besides Johnson and King, the series also stars Jeremy Irons as Ozymandias, one of the superheroes from the original comic book series. The cast also includes Jean Smart, Tim Blake Nelson, Louis Gossett Jr., Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Andrew Howard, Tom Mison, Frances Fisher, Jacob Ming-Trent, Sara Vickers, Dylan Schombing and James Wolk.

Based on the 1986 DC Comics series of the same name, Watchmen takes place in an alternate reality where superheroes are real and treated as outlaws. Lindelof seeks to embrace the source material while exploring new territory in its world.

Are you excited about HBO’s Watchmen? Let us know in the comments. The series is set to premiere on HBO in the fall.