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After teasing fans with viral videos last year, HBO has finally revealed the first legitimate footage from their upcoming Watchmen series, including a possible first look at one of the main characters.
Videos by ComicBook.com
In the new footage aired during HBO’s presentation at the Golden Globes, the first actual footage from the upcoming series finally revealed Jeremy Irons character, heavily rumored to by Ozymandias. But that’s just one aspect, as the footage also seemingly revealed the latest live-action version of Rorschach for the new series.
It remains to be seen if this will actually be Rorschach, or if this version will be more like the version of the character currently seen in DC Comics’ Doomsday Clock. This version is a young black man named Reggie Long, whose father was the court-appointed psychiatrist of the original Rorschach.
Long gets access to his father’s assets after his death, which includes Rorschach’s original journals, leading him to adopt the mantle.
Of course, the original Rorschach could still be in play, though it’s much less likely considering he was zapped out of existence by Doctor Manhattan at the end of the original comic book series.
That version is known as Walter Kovacs, and is most recognized for his portrayal by Jackie Earle Haley in the movie directed by Zack Snyder.
But this version of Watchmen has already been confirmed to be taking place after the events of the comic book, and showrunner David Lindeloff teased what fans can expect. Hint: it’s going to be just as topical and political as Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ original comic book series.
“This story will be set in the world its creators painstakingly builtโฆ It must ask new questions and explore the world through a fresh lens. Most importantly, it must be contemporary. The Old Testament was specific to the Eighties of Reagan and Thatcher and Gorbachev. Ours needs to resonate with the frequency of Trump and May and Putin and the horse that he rides around on, shirtless. And speaking of Horsemen, The End of the World is off the tableโฆwhich means the heroes and villains โ as if the two are distinguishable โ are playing for different stakes entirely.”
Watchmen will premiere on HBO sometime in 2019.