Robert Redford Will Be President in HBO's WATCHMEN and it Will Touch on Racism, Police Brutality, and More

Actor Robert Redford is set to star as… well, Robert Redford in the new HBO series Watchmen, that is being adapted by Damon Lindelof (Lost, The Leftovers), from the comic books created by Alan Moore. Redford will play himself in what Lindelof describes as an “alt-history”, wherein Richard Nixon stayed in the presidency in the 1980’s, but died while in office, which was then handed down to Vice-President Gerald Ford, who lost re-election in 1992 to Redford. In this alternate universe timeline, Redford has remained in the presidency since then, and is still president in present day.

At this week’s Television Critics Association Panel (via FoxNews), Lindelof spoke a bit about the themes of the series, and the fact that this America has faced more conflict on American soil than that of cold-war era Russia, saying:

“What in 2019 is the equivalent of the nuclear standoff between the Americans and the Russians? It is race and the police. There is no defeating white supremacy — it’s not going away. There are no easy answers and grandiose solution.”

He went on to say:

"It is not supposed to be a world that you recognize to Trojan horse themes that are in a real world in a fictional one. What is actual history and what is alt-history and things start to get blended in the middle.”

I think it is probably easier to have a series where you can run parallel to many themes we are facing today, but then also take it in different directions. It will seem familiar, but more free. I am really interested in this series, and I think Redford will make an excellent addition to the cast. Are you excited for this series? Watchmen will air on HBO this October.