Dreamcasting The Watchmen TV Show
Tonight, a comedian died in New York. Let's try and guess who he'll be played by.
Watchmen is widely held as the greatest graphic novel of all time, because of its psychologically complex characters, intricate plot, and deep themes. There have been numerous attempts to bring Alan Moore's masterpiece to screens large and small over the years, but only one has actually made it there. While Zack Snyder's 2009 adaptation was a faithful depiction, it was agreed that it lacked a lot of the visceral emotion and color that made the comic so great.
Now, HBO has officially greenlit a TV pilot for a show based on Watchmen, run by Lost creator Damon Lindelof. It's a chance to right the wrongs of the film, and maybe dig deeper into the wide history of the Watchmen universe. Maybe it could explore the Minutemen, or even the events of the Before Watchmen storylines.
With the production of such a big show beginning, a lot of excitement surrounds the casting of these iconic characters, something the series must get right. Though many agree that Jeffrey Dean Morgan as the Comedian and Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach were both brilliant, there's a lot of room to work within casting new actors.
8. Gerard Butler - The Sea Captain
As Gerald Butler Butler worked with Zack Snyder on 300, it was only natural that Snyder might throw a role his way for Watchmen, but it didn't exactly garner much attention. The animated subplot depicting the events of The Tale of the Black Freighter comic book was relegated to the Ultimate Cut, for both time restrictions and that many audiences might not see the connection to the main plot. However, Butler does well with what he is given, even if it didn't make the theatrical cut.
As a primary advantage of adapting a book to television is more time to work with, it's possible they'll include a live-action version of The Tale of the Black Freighter. It could be a small reassurance by the showrunners that they will be faithful to the graphic novel, and the move would go a long way to settling any doubts about a second adaptation in under a decade.
If they do include it, it's fair to allow Butler a chance at the role, if only to make up for his previous gig being voice acting for a part that was only included in the second extended cut of the film.