Alan Moore has famously been critical of adaptations of his most popular works in the past, but an upcoming project seems to be a more loyal retelling of his story that he’s apparently happier with. The Great When is an upcoming TV series based on Moore’s book of the same name, subtitled A Long London Novel, which tells a story of magic, mystery, and murder on the streets of a fantasy-inspired London during the Second World War. And despite the writer’s distaste for adaptations, Alan Moore has already praised the upcoming The Great When.
Moore’s novel is an extremely creative piece of work that’s filled with innovative fantasy concepts unlike anything that preceded it, blending historical fiction with completely fictional ideas in a way that only the most talented authors can make work. It’s going to be a very difficult story to adapt for the screen, but Moore’s The Great When is a fantastic book that could hopefully make for some very engaging television. However, it won’t be easy to beat an existing adaptation of Alan Moore’s work that currently sits at 96% on Rotten Tomatoes.
The Upcoming Adaptation Of Alan Moore’s The Great When Is Very Exciting
The New TV Show Could Be Something Special
The Great When is the kind of book that doesn’t come along too often, so it’s extremely exciting that it’s already found a place on television. It’s such a creative and unusual story that blends history and fantasy in ways that aren’t done very often, and Moore’s cinematic writing style should pair excellently with the visual medium. It’s a very atmospheric book that uses interesting locations and sweeping set pieces to drive the story forward, giving the entire story a rapid pace that should hopefully translate effectively to television.
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Alan Moore’s Watchmen continues to be one of the most influential comics in history – and yet its infamous creator doesn’t even own a copy.
Perhaps what’s most exciting about The Great When is Moore’s own anticipation of the project. The author has famously disliked most other adaptations of his works, but he’s spoken frequently about how excited he is to see this show released, suggesting that there’s something here that other adaptations haven’t achieved. Speaking to Deadline, Moore admitted: “for the first time in my career, I’m genuinely excited and enthusiastic about a work of mine […] being adapted for the screen.”
The Great When Will Struggle To Achieve The Same Acclaim As HBO’s Watchmen
The Show Has Huge Boots To Fill
Despite all the potential that lies within The Great When waiting to be unearthed, it still won’t be easy to beat the greatness of HBO’s Watchmen show. The project was famously disowned by Moore, but audiences and critics both had something else to say about the creative, foundational miniseries. There have been several adaptations of Watchmen already, and seemingly even more in the future, but none of them have fundamentally understood the property as well as HBO’s show.
The series features Regina King, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Jeremy Irons, and Jean Smart in the lead roles and takes place after the events of the original graphic novel, exploring a world that was built on a lie orchestrated by Ozymandias. The HBO show recontextualized much of the story of Moore’s Watchmen, building up from previous concepts while also conjuring new stories within that world. It was a bold, exciting new take on Watchmen and one of the best TV shows of recent years.
Why Alan Moore Disowned The Watchmen TV Show
The Author Hasn’t Even Watched The HBO Show
But despite the great critical reception, Moore has repeatedly admitted that he’s not interested in watching the show because of his growing distaste for movies and shows that adapt his works. Speaking to The LA Times, the writer claimed that he found the entire project “embarrassing,” and despite receiving a letter from the showrunners asking for his cooperation on the show, he has no intentions of watching it.
In the years that followed, Moore publicly denounced some of his own work because of how terribly he believed it had been misrepresented by the shows and movies adapted from it.
“I would be the last person to want to sit through any adaptations of my work,” Moore admitted. His hesitation likely comes from Zack Snyder’s polarizing 2009 movie adaptation of Watchmen, which the author has previously described as “particularly misguided” (via Goodreads). In the years that followed, Moore publicly denounced his own work because of how terribly he believed it had been misrepresented by the shows and movies adapted from it.
Why Watchmen Was Great, Even If Alan Moore Wanted Nothing To Do With It
The Writer Missed Out On One Of HBO’s Best Shows
Despite what Moore believes, audiences still have praise for HBO’s Watchmen series. It took everything that worked so well about Moore’s work, from the fascinating characters to the unsubtle commentary on fascism, diplomacy, and classism, and applied them to a story that was both engaging and entertaining in equal measures. The show was nominated for several Emmys too, proving that even critics shared in the general praise for the series.
Although the show was extremely successful, and fans want more from this universe, it seems unlikely that HBO’s Watchmen will return any time soon – and not least because of Moore’s disapproval. There is technically some room left for this story to continue, but there’s been no word from either the showrunner or any members of the cast for several years, so it’s safe to assume that the show won’t be coming back. While this is a shame, it’s also a positive thing: the series is a complete project with very few loose ends, and that makes it feel even more singular.
DC Comics has continued to incorporate characters and elements from
Watchmen
into its regular universe through crossover events.
Since then, Watchmen has received two animated movies that cover the original graphic novel. DC Comics has continued to incorporate characters and elements from Watchmen into its regular universe through crossover events. In other words, Watchmen as IP continues to be very valuable.
Alan Moore’s Seal Of Approval Is A Big Deal After His Previous Adaptation Complaints
Although Moore’s seal of approval isn’t completely necessary (and Watchmen proved that it doesn’t necessarily speak to the quality of the project), it’s certainly a good sign that the author is so excited about The Great When. There must be a reason that he favors this adaptation over both versions of Watchmen – or perhaps he simply believes that The Great When might be an easier book to translate to the screen.
Alan Moore gave his approval to
Justice League Unlimited
‘s “For The Man Who Has Episode” and got a story credit for the episode that was based on his famous comic book story of the same name.
Either way, Alan Moore’s approval of The Green When’s TV adaptation is the perfect way to build anticipation for the project. It’s no secret that he’s become extremely jaded by the mixed reactions to Snyder’s Watchmen and the poor experience with HBO’s miniseries, so it’s nice to know that he’s not completely shut off to the concept of his books making for good TV shows – they simply need the right ingredients.
Source: Deadline, The LA Times, Goodreads
Watchmen
Set in an alternate history where superheroes emerged in the 20th century, the series explores themes of racial tension and political intrigue. Following the events in Tulsa, Oklahoma, a detective named Angela Abar uncovers a conspiracy involving masked vigilantes, the legacy of the original Watchmen, and a cult-like organization aiming to seize power. The narrative intertwines past and present, revealing deep-seated secrets and societal issues.
- Cast
- Regina King , Don Johnson , Tim Blake Nelson , Yahya Abdul-Mateen II , Andrew Howard , Jacob Ming-Trent , Tom Mison , Sara Vickers , Dylan Schombing , Louis Gossett Jr. , Jeremy Irons , Jean Smart , Hong Chau
- Character(s)
- Red Scare , Angela Abar / Sister Night , Lady Trieu , Mr. Phillips / Game Warden , Panda , Cal Abar , Adrian Veidt / Ozymandias , Laurie Blake , Ms. Crookshanks , Wade Tillman / Looking Glass , Judd Crawford , Charlie Sutton , Carmichael , The Suspect , Ms. Sweetwater , Adorable White Boy , Mom , Preacher , Sheriff , Mechanic , Mechanic’s Wife , Nurse , Roberta Sutton , Uniformed Cop , Farmer’s Daughter (Oklahoma)
- Release Date
- October 20, 2019
- Seasons
- 1
- Network
- HBO
- Writers
- Nick Cuse , Carly Wray
- Directors
- David Semel , Fred Toye
- Creator(s)
- Damon Lindelof
- Producers
- Damon Lindelof , Joseph E. Iberti , Nicole Kassell , Ron Schmidt , Stephen Williams , Tom Spezialy , John Blair , Christal Henry