HBO is in need of a new Game of Thrones -sized success and Watchmen could be the channel's saviour.
A new trailer for the series - a "remixed" version of Alan Moore's beloved graphic novel - has been released at San Diego Comic-Con and it shows old vigilantes (Rorschach) alongside new masked heroes.
There are references to the graphic novel, but the trailer is further proof that the series, from Lost co-creator Damon Lindelof , is telling its own story set within the same world.
Lindelof's last show, The Leftovers , was a critical smash for HBO and, going by this trailer, it looks like he could strike gold for the cable network once again.
Speaking about the project on Instagram, he previously wrote: “We have no desire to ‘adapt’ the twelve issues Mr Moore and Mr Gibbons created thirty years ago. Those issues are sacred ground and they will not be retread nor recreated nor reproduced nor rebooted.”
The 'Merc with a Mouth', aka Deadpool, was ready for business at this year's San Diego Comic-Con. Kyle Knox from Redding, California looked as though he could easily pass for the comic book character, portrayed by Ryan Reynolds on the big screen.
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BuzzFeed producer Kelsey Impicciche transforms into powerhouse superhero Captain Marvel, donning Carol Danvers' signature red and blue suit and looking ready to take on any hapless soul who gets in her way.
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The 2018 animated film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse received critical acclaim, largely due to the exciting introduction of Miles Morales as Spider-Man. Morales is depicted as having an artistic touch, so much so that he creates a custom version of the Spider-Man suit by spray painting it himself. Cosplayer Trevor Mack took part in a fan cosplay photo shoot at San Diego Comic-Con dressed as the character.
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Cousin It and Wednesday made quite an entrance at Comic-Con, portrayed by Ron and Mya Pizarro from San Diego, California. One can imagine the cosplayers must have felt pretty toasty in their impressive costumes.
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Aayla Secura is a Jedi Knight in the Star Wars universe, of the Twi-lek humanoid species. Cosplayer Grace Carlson, from Oceanside, California, wore a spectacular costume, painting her skin blue and wearing lekku, the tails which hang from the character's head.
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A close-up of Carlson's detailed Aayla Secura costume.
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You don't want to get in the way of a brooding Daredevil, what with his superhuman sensitivity to his surroundings and remarkable combat skills. This cosplayer dressed in Daredevil's signature blood-red costume, even adding some fake blood to his face for added dramatic effect.
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Not only has this cosplayer successfully put together a meticulous Ron Burgundy costume, but they've also mastered the Anchorman character's signature egotistical confidence.
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Thanos, you're no match for Peni Parker. Eight-year-old cosplayer Chloe Mai embodied the character of Peni Parker, who is discovered to come from an alternative universe in Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse .
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It is particularly apt that this cosplayer dressed as Thor at this year's San Diego Comic-Con, considering the recent announcement that Natalie Portman will be taking on a female version of the character in an upcoming film. The new installment, titled Thor: Love and Thunder , will be directed by Taika Waititi and will see Portman reprise the role of Jane Foster opposite Chris Hemsworth.
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In the second part of the first season of Netflix's Chilling Adventures of Sabrina , one episode sees the teenage witch have a crown of thorns placed on a head. Despite the grim nature of her costume, this cosplayer was all smiles at San Diego Comic-Con.
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One of the scariest characters ever to come from American Horror Story is undoubtedly Twisty, who appeared in the fourth season titled 'Freak Show'. This costume looks as though it could have been taken straight from set, having been designed with such chilling accuracy.
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This portrayal of Valak from the 2018 film The Nun is surely going to haunt our dreams, complete with pointed teeth, and a menacing stare.
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Matthew Morningstar from Tucson, Arizona embodies the spirit of Jared Leto's Joker from the 2016 film Suicide Squad , pulling off the villain's radioactive green hair, purple overcoat, gold chains and unconventional tattoos.
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One of Jared Leto's Joker's most recognisable tattoos is the wide grin inked on his left hand. It is one of the character's three smile tattoos, the others of which are located on his right forearm and on his stomach.
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Cosplayer Evy Thomas took inspiration from Mystique's plotline in the 2014 film X-Men: Days of Future Past , showing the mutant shape-shifting between her true identity and the character's disguise as a US army soldier.
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A close-up of Thomas' impressive and intricate make-up, red wig and blue bodysuit, the making of Mystique.
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'Live long and prosper', words this cosplayer likely heard on numerous occasions as he traipsed around San Diego Comic-Con dressed as half-Vulcan Star Trek character Spock.
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Steve Harrington has gained a dedicated following of fans over the past three seasons of Stranger Things , his ice cream parlour uniform in the most recent series making him that much more beloved. Cosplayer Nicholas Young from Kansas City looks ready to greet customers with a cheerful grin at Scoops Ahoy.
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Yes, Deadpool – we love you too. The character made his first comic book appearance in 1991, in The New Mutants . In the 2016 film, Deadpool states that the reason why he wears a red suit is so that 'bad guys can't see me bleed'.
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Just because Spider-Man has starred in comic books since the 1960s doesn't mean he doesn't also enjoy reading them. Cosplayer Evan Nuzum posed as the famous webslinger, perched on a chair while reading a comic about superhero force the X-Men.
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Cosplayer Syao Jordan, from San Diego, California, arrived at Comic-Con dressed as Final Fantasy XIV character Ser Aymeric de Borel, completing the look with pointed Elezen ears, jet black hair and his noble armour.
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Cosplayer Maddie Stalling depicts Jester Lavorre, from web-series Critical Role . In the series, a group of professional voice actors play Dungeons and Dragons , a fantasy role-playing game first published in the 1970s.
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The character which many people may credit with causing them to develop a fear of clowns: Pennywise the Dancing Clown, from Stephen King's It . The creepy character is a shape-shifting, evil force, which appears for the most part in the form of a sadistic, grinning clown.
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This cosplayer went to extraordinary lengths to demonstrate their creativity, wearing a partially-knitted red costume as Zoidberg from Futurama . We're not sure that we'd trust this doctor with those sharp, lobster claws.
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Cosplayer Anna Martin strikes a powerful pose as Magneto, the powerful Marvel mutant who boasts the ability to generate and control magnetic fields, wearing the comic book character's red armoured torso plate and matching red cape. Magneto first appeared in the debut issue of the X-Men comic book in 1963.
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Margot Robbie's performance as the wayward Harley Quinn proved one of the highlights of the 2016 DC film Suicide Squad . The character's outfit in the film differed somewhat from the comics. Robbie's Harley Quinn dons red and blue shorts, netted tights, mismatched boots and a top which reads: 'Daddy's Lil Monster' across the front, a change from her typical red and black bodysuit.
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Batman villain The Scarecrow was out and about at San Diego Comic-Con this week. The character is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics and was portrayed by actor Cillian Murphy in the 2005 film Batman Begins .
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Cosplayer Nadya Sonika takes ups back to the Nineties with her recreation of Milla Jollavich’s Leeloo from The Fifth Element . The futuristic outfit includes a pair of gold spandex leggings, white crop top and orange braces.
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Nintendo’s Super Mario Brother’s, Mario and Luigi, headed to San Diego Comic-Con for a few days of sun. In the Super Mario Bros game, player one takes on the role of Mario, the protagonist of the series, while Luigi is controlled by the second player in the game's multiplayer mode.
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“Bring in the Fembots!” Three cosplayers embodied the spirit of Austin Powers’ feminine humanoid robots for to San Diego Comic-Con. The trio wore outfits consisting of silver hot pants, halter top bras covered in studs and white gloves.
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This cosplayer dressed as part Spider-Man part Venom for San Diego Comic-Con 2019. The long-time comic book villain was first introduced in The Amazing Spider-Man issue number #252 (1984) as a new costume for Spider-Man. However, writers later established that the costume was actually an alien Symbiote trying to permanently bond with Peter Parker.
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Cosplayer Zak took inspiration from hit HBO series Game of Thrones with character Jon Snow’s night watch costume. The outfit featured a floor-sweeping black cloak with a faux fur trim, a sleeveless jacket with chest buckles and leather boots.
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This cosplayer embodied the spirit of "He Who Must Not Be Named", otherwise known as Tom Riddle or Lord Voldemort. The character was created by J.K. Rowling for the Harry Potter book and movies and is the arch-enemy of the young wizard.
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Wolverine is one of the most iconic comic book characters around and, while his look has changed over the years, Hugh Jackman's cinematic portrayal of the superhero is one of the most popular among cosplayers. This attendee sported Wolverine's trademark claws, white tank-top and aviator sunglasses.
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The series - which premieres in October – stars Regina King , Jeremy Irons, Tim Blake Nelson and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, most recently seen in Black Mirror .
Also at Comic-Con, HBO released a new look at Westworld's third season while AMC unveiled a full trailer for The Walking Dead season 10 .
Watchmen premieres on HBO and Sky Atlantic in October.
If you’re a longtime fan of Lost or simply looking for a new series to start, subscribe to podcast The LOST Boys , which follows one of our writers’s respective journey watching from the very beginning for the eighth time – with a complete newbie.
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