The Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons, and John Higgins graphic novelWatchmenreceived a new adaptation fromDCanimation, withWatchmen: Chapter 1released in August 2024, andWatchmen: Chapter 2currently in development. Following the 2009 Zack Snyder film and an HBO series,it has become evident thatWatchmenis not nearly as unfilmable or unadaptable as many used to believe.Despite the mostly warm reception for the Snyder film, DC decided to try their hand at another adaptation, but animated this time around.
With an eye for cultural and historical comment,Watchmenbecame an enormous hit when it was published between 1986 and 1987. Coming from an era where comic books were seen as a lesser art form,Watchmenhelped to elevate the medium and has been listed on many of the best novel lists ever since.It became the first graphic novel to win a Hugo Award and has remained highly influential.Thetwo-part DC animated movie is the third major adaptation ofWatchmen.
Watchmen: Chapter 1 Released In August 2024
Watchmen: Chapter 1was released digitally on Aug 15, 2025, and two weeks later on Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD on August 12, 2025.It received strong reviews, accumulating a 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, and a 7/10 average on IMDB. Compared to the live-action adaptation by Zack Snyder, critics viewed it more favorably, as Snyder’s movie sits at 65%, but viewers gave it an average of 7.6/10 on IMDB.
Watchmen(2009) has three different versions; a theatrical cut that runs 162 minutes, a director’s cut that adds 24 more minutes to the film, and finally, an ultimate cut that includes the animated Black Freighter segments throughout the film, which runs 215 minutes.
Watchmen: Chapter 1was quite faithful to the iconic graphic novel, and adapts the first half of the story.It being an essential beat-for-beat adaptation is also its biggest detriment, treading virtually the same ground the 2009 film did. WithWatchmen: Chapter 2on the horizon, it will be interesting to see if it remains faithful to the graphic novel, or does something different like Zack Snyder did with hisWatchmenending.
Watchmen Chapter 1 & 2 Latest News
Now thatWatchmen: Chapter 1has been released, fans are patiently waiting for any news aboutWatchmen: Chapter 2to come out. Aside from the initial announcement of the new two-part adaptation,there has been surprisingly little news since, except for the teaser trailer in June and the full trailer in July. After the credits ofWatchmen: Chapter 1, a short preview of the second chapter was played, saying it will be coming in 2025.
Watchmen Chapter 2 Is Delayed To 2025
Originally, the plan was forWatchmen: Chapter 1to release in August 2024, andWatchmen: Chapter 2to release towards the end of the same year. While the first film did hit its release date, the second film wasunfortunately delayed to 2025. The reasons for the delay are unknown, but most likely the film just needed more time to be completed given the quality of its animation. There is no definitive date for the film to release, but hopefully, it will come out sometime in the first half of 2025.
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IGN released the casting details of the upcomingWatchmenfilms on August 03, 2025.Matthew Rhys, star ofThe AmericansandPerry Mason, lends his voice to the Dan Dreiberg iteration of Nite Owl, or Nite Owl II.Played by Patrick Wilson in the Zack Snyder film, Dreiberg comes out of retirement after discovering that The Comedian has been killed. This central role is one of the most important in the movie.
One of the most successful genre stars of the past decades,Katee Sackhoff voices Laurie Juspeczyk, also known as the second Silk Spectre.Sackhoff has enjoyed a career of excellent roles but is perhaps best known for her turn as Starbuck inBattlestar Galactica.More recently, she has had a recurring role inThe Mandalorian. Another important figure, Juspeczyk, is a legacy hero who has taken up the mantle of Silk Spectre from her mother. She was previously played by Malin Ackerman in the 2009 film.
The Watchmen/DC Crossover Everyone Forgot About, Years Before Doomsday Clock
Doomsday Clock may be the most high-profile crossover between the DCU and Watchmen, but it’s not the only meeting of the two universes.
Boschstar Titus Welliver voices the character of Rorschach.Rorschach is the most popularWatchmencharacter, characterized as a violent vigilante with a selective moral code. Played in the 2009 film by Jackie Earle Haley, the character’s vicious, gravelly voice and unsettling mask helped to cement the antihero in the pop culture canon. Welliver appears to be playing the character similarly to Haley based on the samples of his voice from the trailer.
Additional stars from various mediums have been added to theWatchmencast. Troy Baker, best known for voicing Joel inThe Last of Usvideo games, and Yuri Lowenthal from Insomniac’sSpider-Manvoice Ozymandias and Wally Weaver respectively.Rick D. Wasserman stepped into the role of the Comedian, one of the original members of the team.
How Watchmen Chapter 1 Sets Up Chapter 2
WithWatchmen: Chapter 1being such a faithful adaptation of its source material, it is reasonable to assumeWatchmen: Chapter 2will do the same thing. Being only one-half of a two-part adaptation,Watchmen: Chapter 1ended on a cliffhanger, with Rorschach being framed for the murder of Edgar Jacobi,who was once known as the criminal Moloch.Watchmen: Chapter 2will explore the aftermath of that moment while unraveling the mystery behind who is killing these characters, leading to a shocking conclusion.
Watchmen Chapter 1 & 2 Trailer
Nearly a year after it was first announced,the original teaser trailer forWatchmenwas released in June 2024. The trailer showed footage from the films and gave the first glimpse at the animation style used for the adaptation. Inside this trailer came the first announcement that the story would be broken into two parts.
A red-band trailer specifically forWatchmen: Chapter 1, was released on July 29, 2025,and gave a much better look at the then-upcoming film. TheWatchmen: Chapter 1trailer showed off the voice cast and looks at several characters, especially the Comedian and Rorschach. There has been no trailer forWatchmen: Chapter 2, but it should eventually come closer to the film’s release date, when the new two-part adaptation ofWatchmenis concluded.
Watchmen
In an alternate history where superheroes are real and significantly impact global events, the franchise delves into the complexities of morality, justice, and power. Starting with a graphic novel, it introduces a world where vigilantes face government crackdowns. Central characters, including Rorschach, Dr. Manhattan, and Ozymandias, navigate a plot involving political conspiracies and personal dilemmas. Subsequent adaptations, including films and a TV series, expand the narrative, exploring the legacy of the original heroes and the societal repercussions of their actions, blending past and present to address contemporary issues.
