Last year, it seemed like DC Studios was firing on all cylinders. Not only had they released Superman to critical acclaim and box office victory, but it had also essentially relaunched the new DCU in a way that seemed like it could actually compete with Marvel (Superman grossed more than all three of the MCU movies from 2025). Later in the year came a tease that DC might be aiming for even more than just its cinematic universe, with news of a V for Vendetta reboot revealed as being in the works for HBO. British writer Pete Jackson (not the New Zealand director) was tapped to bring the new adaptation of Alan Moore and David Lloyd’s graphic novel to life.
Now, what seemed like a good idea has apparently stalled out. Per Jeff Sneider’s The InSneider newsletter, the V for Vendetta TV series reboot at HBO has hit a brick wall. According to Sneider, the script that Jackson penned has been passed on by HBO, meaning this iteration of V for Vendetta won’t see the light of day. Fans hopeful for the show shouldn’t completely give up hope, though, as Sneider reports “an HBO insider” remarked that just because this version of V for Vendetta isn’t happening doesn’t mean that the property won’t still make it to television in a different form.
As comic book fans may well know, V for Vendetta told the dystopian tale of a not-too-distant UK where a fascist takeover has given way to a police state. To combat them, the titular V appears (wearing his signature Guy Fawkes mask), giving rise to an anarchic movement aiming to overthrow them. The story was previously adapted into the 2005 feature film (set to be re-released later this year) with Hugo Weaving and Natalie Portman starring.
Per Sneider’s report on the V for Vendetta TV series, the script turned in by Jackson for the reboot was reportedly a period piece, perhaps something akin to Moore and Lloyd’s original story, which took its cues from the “Thatcher era” of British politics in the 1980s. According to Sneider, HBO had apparently hoped for a modern take on the material, juxtaposing the current political landscape with what an anarchist might be able to accomplish.
As a result, the version Jackson wrote was passed on, though that does open up the door for someone else to potentially rework it down the line, though reps for HBO and DC offered no official comment. The commercial failure of Supergirl and the impending merger of Warner Bros. Discovery with Paramount, however, mean that putting aside an adaptation of a beloved comic (that already had a well-regarded movie) can hopefully allow DC Studios to look for other projects to prioritize.
It’s perhaps worth noting as well that Moore himself has publicly distanced himself from adaptations of his work, not only refusing credit but also payment for any that might arise (allowing the artists to get paid his share or sending them to charity). Watchmen showrunner Damon Lindelof previously jested that he was “absolutely convinced that there was a magical curse placed upon” him by Moore. At press time, there’s no word on whether Jackson felt the same about his work on V for Vendetta, but the result might make fans ponder the idea.
