It’s been 20 years since V for Vendetta forced Natalie Portman to shave her head, and 40 since Alan Moore penned the graphic novel that would change dystopian fiction forever. V for Vendetta has inspired countless revolutions both real and fictional, with everyone from the hacker group Anonymous to WikiLeaks founder Julia Assange appropriating the Guy Fawkes mask for their own crusades. Still, enough time has passed that the story itself feels somewhat lost to time: there’s a whole generation who may not know who V or Evey actually are, much less what adventure they take together.
That makes V for Vendetta an ideal target in Hollywood’s mad dash to keep the IP machine turning. DC Studios is spearheading development on a new series based on Moore’s graphic novel, which will air on HBO. DC’s creative co-chairs, James Gunn and Peter Safran, will serve as executive producers, while Pete Jackson (Somewhere Boy) has been tapped to helm the adaptation.
V for Vendetta is set in a near-future, dystopian United Kingdom, where a fascist party known as Norsefire has instated a totalitarian regime. Drawing inspiration from the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, a freedom fighter known as V dons a Guy Fawkes mask and works almost singlehandedly to inspire a nationwide revolution. When he rescues Evey from the secret police, she becomes his semi-reluctant protege. V’s extreme methods are hard to get on board with, but as Norsefire cracks down on members of the queer community, religious protestors, and other miscellaneous dissenters, Evey has to decide what she’s willing to sacrifice for freedom, and fast.
If DC does get this adaptation off the ground, it could be the next series in the franchise’s line-up after Lanterns. (V for Vendetta isn’t canon to the DC Universe, but DC took over publishing duties starting in 1988). There’s also a question of whether Jackson will avoid the mistakes of the 2005 film directed by James McTeige and written by the Wachowskis. Though it was relatively loyal to the graphic novel and enjoyed commercial success, it caught flak for watering down Moore’s heavier, more anarchic themes.
Given its status as a major Hollywood blockbuster, it’s a miracle that V for Vendetta retained such a strong message at all. But these are different times. Unrest feels like the order of the day, and a more faithful adaptation seems more appropriate than ever. The new series could easily go the way of HBO’s Watchmen adaptation, adding in even stronger political subplots. Moore famously denounced the 2005 film, and there’s no telling if he’ll do the same with the series, but maybe he’ll be on board with an adaptation that skews even closer to his original story.
