The Watchmen Chapter 1 trailer finds Rorschach investigating the Comedian’s death for the first part of an animated adaptation

When you think we have enough adaptations of Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons, and John Higgins’s Watchmen, Warner Bros. Entertainment whispers, ‘No. The first part of an animated adaptation of the trio’s legendary story arrives on August 13, and today, we’ve got a Watchmen: Chapter 1 trailer to give fans a taste of the adventure to come. Warner Bros. teased Watchmen: Chapter 1 last summer at San Diego Comic-Con for a limited audience. Today, everyone gets to enjoy the preview for the first part of this anticipated two-part event film. According to Warner Bros., Watchmen: Chapter 1 marks “a leap forward for our DC Cinematic Animation.”

“Watchmen is set in an alternate reality that closely mirrors the contemporary world of the 1980s. The primary difference is the presence of superheroes. The point of divergence occurs in the year 1938. Their existence in this version of the United States is shown to have dramatically affected and altered the outcomes of real-world events such as the Vietnam War and the presidency of Richard Nixon. In keeping with the realism of the series, although the costumed crimefighters of Watchmen are commonly called “superheroes,” only one, named Doctor Manhattan, possesses any superhuman abilities.

The war in Vietnam ends with an American victory in 1971 and Nixon is still president as of October 1985 upon the repeal of term limits and the Watergate scandal not coming to pass. The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan occurs approximately six years later than in real life. When the story begins, the existence of Doctor Manhattan has given the U.S. a strategic advantage over the Soviet Union, which has dramatically increased Cold War tensions. Eventually, by 1977, superheroes grow unpopular among the police and the public, leading them to be outlawed with the passage of the Keene Act.

While many of the heroes retired, Doctor Manhattan and another superhero, known as The Comedian, operate as government-sanctioned agents. Another named Rorschach continues to operate outside the law.”

I’m typically Mr. Positivity when it comes to all things animation. Still, I can’t help but feel hesitation regarding the animation style of Watchmen: Chapter 1. Let’s be clear: it’s just my preference, but I don’t care for the overall look of this film. There’s something about the clean, computer-generated animation that makes me long for DC’s more iconic 2D art style. Anyway, that’s just me. I’m aware that I sound like Abe Simpson yelling at clouds. I’m sure plenty of people dig this approach to the material, and I’m simply wasting my breath. Regardless of my aversion to Watchmen: Chapter 1’s look, Moore’s story is an all-time classic, and I’ll take an animated adaptation of it any day of the week. I’m good to go as long as the story’s spirit is there.

The all-star cast for Watchmen: Chapter 1 includes Matthew Rhys (Dan Dreiberg, Nite Owl), Katee Sackhoff (Laurie Juspeczyk, Silk Spectre), Titus Welliver (Rorschach, Walter Kovacs), Troy Baker (Adrian Veidt, Ozymandias), Adrienne Barbeau (Sally Jupiter, Silk Spectre), Corey Burton (Captain Metropolis), Michael Combs (Jonathan Osterman, Dr. Manhattan), Jeffrey Combs (Edgar Jacobi, Moloch), John Marshall Jones (Hooded Justice), Geoff Pierson (Hollis Mason, Nite Owl), Kari Wahlgren (Janey Slater), and Rick D. Wasserman (Edward Blake, The Comedian), with Kelly Hu, Max Koch, Phil LaMarr, Dwight Schultz, Jason Spisak, and Grey DeLisle.

Watchmen: Chapter 1 arrives on August 13, with Watchmen: Chapter 2 coming in 2025.

What do you think about the Watchmen: Chapter 1 trailer? Are you digging the art style? Will this be the most accurate adaptation of the story? Let us know what you think in the comments below.