Watchmen Showrunner Reveals New Details of HBO’s Reboot

All eyes are on HBO as they attempt the daunting task of reviving Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ seminal graphic novel Watchmen for television, and many people are curious as to how it will all work out. After all, the original film by Zack Snyder is revered as a cult classic for staying true to the original vision despite some drastic changes.

Showrunner Damon Lindelof also came under fire for his comments about Alan Moore’s disapproval of the new show, seemingly disrespecting the author when he said he was channeling his spirit when taking the job. But the writer made it clear that he’s respecting everything that came before in the original comic book series.

“I’m not creating this world; I’m adding to a world already created… all I can do is stay true to the spirit of Watchmen and pray that it all works out. I owe everything to Watchmen, and it’s an honor to officially get the chance to pay off that debt,” Lindelof said to TV Insider.

Lindelof explained that he’s planning to treat his story as a quasi-sequel, saying that the series will take place after the events of the original 12-issue maxi series.

“Everything that happened in [that graphic novel] is canon. We can’t replicate the brilliance of it, but we can honor it by trying to do something original,” Lindelof said.

He added, “Watchmen celebrated the legacy of superheroes that inspired it — then trolled them mercilessly. It broke every rule of the genre and invented an entirely new one in the process. To say I was inspired is an understatement.”

But because the show is taking place after the fabricated alien invasion in the ’80s, some fans might be worried that they have to be familiar with the source material in order to watch the Watchmen; Lindelof explained that the show will bring viewers up to speed.

“If we’ve done our jobs right, [viewers] should be able to come in knowing nothing about the original,” he explained. He also offered one clue for fans looking forward to the show’s premiere:

“Once you’ve seen the first episode, those curious about certain references may want to google Rorschach.”

Watchmen is currently scheduled to premiere on HBO later this year.