With Game of Thrones fast approaching its eighth and final season on the air, HBO is no doubt looking for another monster hit. And although Westworld seems to be impressing critics and fans, its slower production schedule is working against it. HBO is working on a few Game of Thrones spinoffs, as well as developing a new series based on the Watchmen comics. The cast has slowly been coming together for the pilot, and now Damon Lindelof has landed an Oscar, Emmy, and Golden Globe winner. Welcome back to the world of live-action comics, Jeremy Irons.
News has just broke that Jeremy Irons is joining HBO's Watchmen pilot as the protagonist. None of the characters have been revealed to audience, so there will be plenty of time to debate who he might be playing. But after garnering positive attention for his portrayal of Alfred Pennyworth in the DCEU, comic fans are going to be psyched to see Irons joining another superheroic project.
Jeremy Irons' involvement in the Watchmen pilot, which comes to us from Variety, will no doubt begin a myriad of fan theories regarding who the actor might be playing. While the pilot's lead character, it's unlikely that Irons is playing an action-heavy role like Rorschach or Night Owl. Although, Night Owl's similarities to Batman would no doubt be a fun experience for fans. And considering the pilot will be set in present day, perhaps it'll focus on a much older set of heroes.
Writer Damon Lindelof has also previously stated that the Watchmen pilot and possible series wouldn't merely focus on the same characters and stories from the comics and Zack Snyder's 2009 blockbuster. Instead, the same universe will be brought into the modern timeline, allowing Lindelof and the writers to craft a story independent of the source material. This will allow HBO's Watchmen to live free from the shadow of the silver screen adaptation, and still delivering for the hardcore fans of the property.
Jeremy Irons is joining an already impressive group of actors that Damon Lindelof has assembled for the Watchmen pilot. He'll be working alongside Lindelof's The Leftovers collaborator Regina King, as well as Timothy Blake Nelson, Don Johnson, and Louis Gossett Jr. If the show is ultimately ordered to series, it would be Irons first series regular TV role since BBC's short lived 2011 show The Borgias.
It should be interesting to see how Damon Lindelof's Watchmen pilot differs from Zack Snyder's big screen version. Lindelof's work on projects like The Leftovers and Lost show his ability to work with nonlinear storytelling and dark concepts, so it seems like a great fit for the world of The Watchmen. We'll just have to wait and see if HBO ultimately picks it up.
CinemaBlend will keep you updated on all things Watchmen. In the meantime, check out our summer premiere list to plan your next binge watch. Plus our Amazon premiere list and superhero premiere list to ensure you don't miss a single episode of your favorite show.
