Two decades after its cult-classic film adaptation, the story of DC’s graphic novel V for Vendetta might be told in live action once again.
On Monday, reports indicated that a new adaptation of V for Vendetta is in the works, this time as a television series. The new adaptation is reportedly being written by Pete Jackson, whose work includes Somewhere Boy and The Death of Bunny Munro (and who is not to be confused with The Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson). DC Studios’ James Gunn and Peter Safran will executive produce, alongside Ben Stephenson via Poison Pen and Leanne Klein of Wall to Wall Media.
V for Vendetta is set in Britain in a dystopian, not-too-distant future in which the country is controlled by the fascistic Norsefire party. An anarchist named V, known for his distinctive Guy Fawkes mask, seeks to topple the government with the help of Evey Hammond, a young woman V rescued from the country’s secret police. The story was previously adapted into a film in 2005, directed by James McTeigue, written by the Wachowski sisters, and starring Natalie Portman and Hugo Weaving.
If V for Vendetta comes to fruition, it would be the latest collaboration between DC and HBO, already resulting in the Emmy-winning The Batman spinoff The Penguin, as well as the upcoming Lanterns series.
This V for Vendetta report wasn’t the only piece of DC-related TV news to break on Monday, as it was almost immediately followed by confirmation that American Vandal showrunners Tony Yacenda and Dan Perrault are spearheading a new Jimmy Olsen-centric TV series called DC Crime. But it still is a particularly surprising piece of news, especially given how unique the title has become in our popular culture.
The original comic series, from writer Alan Moore and artists Dave Lloyd and Tony Weare, was first published in the British comic anthology Warrior in the 1980s. Soon after, DC collected it and re-released it into a ten-color limited series, which helped it gain a whole new form of notoriety worldwide. It still remains one of DC’s most perennial books in collected formats or trade paperbacks, most recently being collected as part of their $9.99 DC Compact line.
It also helps that, since its initial publication and since the 2005 movie, V for Vendetta has become absorbed as a part of popular culture. The Guy Fawkes mask worn by V throughout the movie has taken on a life of its own as a symbol of the anti-establishment, most famously in groups like Anonymous.
Sure, it’s far from Moore’s only politically-relevant and texturally-dense comic work from DC, but V for Vendetta‘s reputation is one of a kind in the comic book space. And it would be interesting to see its politically-relevant parable retold in our current moment, especially with the longer format that TV provides. While we’re still a ways away from even seeing this TV adaptation become a reality (and, inevitably, making jokes about Moore placing curses on people), it definitely has potential.
(featured image: Warner Bros. Pictures)
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]
