Soon, HBO Max’s library will expand with another gritty series. According to Variety, a V for Vendetta TV show is currently in development at Warner Bros., becoming the second screen adaptation of the famous graphic novel by Alan Moore and David Lloyd.
Rumours suggest that the script will be created by Pete Jackson, a BAFTA TV Award-nominated writer of the Somewhere Boy series and the new Sky Atlantic show, The Death of Bunny Munro, based on Nick Cave’s novel. James Gunn and Peter Safran are attached to the project as executive producers, among others, bringing the V for Vendetta series into the DC Studios family.
While creating such a series may seem like another secondary idea in a world overrun by remakes and sequels, I can’t wait to stream it. Hopefully, it will wash away the bad taste left by the 2005 film adaptation of the graphic novel.
Created in the 80s, the V for Vendetta comic book is set in a dystopian England controlled by a neo-fascist political party called Norsefire. The main character, the mysterious V, hidden behind a Guy Fawkes mask, attempts to spark an anarchist revolution and overthrow the totalitarian state. His actions inspire a young woman, Evey Hammond, who joins the conspiracy against the brutal regime.
A violent tale with a strong political message and distinctive iconography seems to be excellent material for a film. When V for Vendetta (2005) premiered, directed by James McTeigue and based on a screenplay by the Wachowski sisters, I was a kid. I watched the film years later… and I’m still surprised at how lousy it turned out to be.
Instead of the gripping political thriller I was hoping for, I got rushed chaos, with questionable performances and poor editing that ruined all the suspense. Many viewers still enjoyed the brilliant story concept, despite the film’s obvious flaws. But in my mind, Moore and Lloyd’s comic deserves much better.
Now, with DC Studios finally recovering after years of decline, V for Vendetta has been given a second chance at a decent adaptation.
The timing couldn’t be any better. Although James Gunn and Peter Safran are aiming for lighter stories, the success of Joker, The Batman and The Penguin proves that audiences also have an appetite for dark stories underpinned by real-world issues.
V for Vendetta fits perfectly into these trends. Although it’s not yet clear whether the project will be a faithful adaptation or a retelling, it reminds me of the Watchmen series, which premiered on HBO Max in 2019. On the one hand, the show, created by Damon Lindelof, was a sequel to the Watchmen graphic novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons (adapted for the screen by Zack Snyder in 2009). But it also served as a clever reboot and reinterpretation of the source material.
With references to real historical events such as the Tulsa Race Massacre, surreal images, twisted dark humour, and a gloomy world view, Watchmen is one of the most ambitious comic book adaptations ever made. If the creators of the V for Vendetta show have the same courage and creativity, the new take on Moore and Lloyd’s graphic novel could be even more exciting.
Given the rising political tensions all around the world, Warner Bros. couldn’t have chosen a better time to adapt a comic book with a powerful message. V for Vendetta is sure to spark plenty of discourse. But in the packed streaming world, it’s a production that has a chance of standing out from the crowd.
