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Damon Lindelof has discuss his and HBO ’s upcomingWatchmenTV series , revealing that actor Robert Redford is the U.S. president in the show ’s setting . Published from 1986 to 1987 , Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons ' originalWatchmencomic books satirized superhero tropes and tapped into substantial - world concerns ( namely , the Cold War latent hostility between the Soviet Union and U.S. ) with their narrative . The serial would go on to mark a watershed moment in the way of life that comics are regard , when it comes to their literary qualities and content for complex storytelling .
In the tenner since then , theWatchmenbrand been adapted for film ( with Zack Snyder ’s 2009 flick adjustment ) and continued in the grade of both prequel and sequel comic serial to Moore and Gibbons ' initial ingathering . Now , thanks toThe Leftoversco - Almighty Lindelof and HBO , the property is making the jump to the small screen with their upcomingWatchmenTV show . And by the sound of things , the project is n’t pulling any punches either , when it come to adopt its source material ’s twisted and challenging sense of political commentary .
Related : Alan Moore Is n’t Thrilled About Watchmen TV Show , Damon Lindelof respond
Speaking during theWatchmenpanel at the TCA tour this calendar week , Lindelof ( h / tDeadline ) confirmed that the HBO show takes place in the present - day variation of theWatchmenuniverse and treats Moore and Gibbons ' comics as"canon " . By the metre the show pick up , though , the world is a place where cops don mask to hide / protect their identities , there ’s acult of vigilance man based around the now - deceased Rorschach , the Internet and smartphones do n’t exist , and the still - free Redford is the longest - serving POTUS ever . white-hot supremacy will also be a major issue that ’s address on the show since , as Lindelof put it :
“ What in 2019 is the combining weight of the atomic repulsion between the Americans and the Russians [ from the original Watchmen comical books ] ? It is subspecies and the police . "
Regina King , who antecedently cooperate with Lindelof onThe Leftoversand is come off her Oscar win forIf Beale Street Could Talk , star inWatchmenas Angela Abar , a police officer who ( like her Colorado - workers ) turns to wear a masquerade party when the Rorschach rage begins hunting down cops and attacking them in their home . The full - lengthWatchmentrailerthat premier during SDCC last weekend also confirmed that Dr. Manhattan is alive and still living on Mars when the shows begins , but will make his manner back to earth at some point . It also suggested that Adrian Veidt aka . Ozymandias -the character that Jeremy Irons is ( reportedly ) playing- has died , which raises questions about whether he counterfeit his death , pop off from raw causes , or was possibly even killed in a personal manner that will frame the show ’s narrative ( a la how The Comedian ’s murder framed the originalWatchmencomics ) .
Whatever the case may be , the show sounds like a fascinating blend of alternative history and real - universe business concern in the vein of the originalWatchmencomics , only updated for living in the class 2019 . It will also be interesting to see how Redford ( or , as some might know him , that " Nodding Guy " Meme ) being POTUS impacts the series ; in Moore and Gibbons ' comic book , for illustration , Richard Nixon was the longest - serving U.S. president ever and the Watergate scandal never happened , but it ultimately had a limited impact on the plot . At the very least , though , it should add yet another curious wrinkle to the show ’s overall mythology .
NEXT : Every Watchmen Comic Character Returning in the HBO Series
Watchmenpremieres on HBO in October .
rootage : Deadline
