Grab Your Guy Fawkes Masks! A 'V For Vendetta' TV Series Might Be In The Fire-Works

Bring out your black cloaks and dust off your Guy Fawkes masks, because it seems that the famous freedom fighter — V himself — is heading back to our screens once again!

A 'V For Vendetta' TV Series Could Be On The Way

Between 1988 and 1989, the world was introduced to an all-new #DC comic book series from legendary writer Alan Moore. Brutal and uncompromising, V for Vendetta told of a near (and scarily possible) future dystopia where Britain had become a fascistic state. Enter V, a mysterious masked man who — alongside his education of Evey Hammond — wages a bitter war against the Norsefire dictatorship.

We may have already seen an adaptation of V for Vendetta directed by the Wachowski’s back in 2006, but it looks like British broadcasting company Channel 4 are ready and willing to re-tell the tale themselves. Admittedly, we’re only going off rumors at this stage, yet the guys over at Bleeding Cool are very confident that the plans will amount to an all-new hit show in the next few years. Even with nothing confirmed as of yet, we here at Movie Pilot are nevertheless excited by the possibilities.

Could 'V For Vendetta' Work As A British TV Show?

A cult film though it may be, it’s clear that the cinematic adaptation of V for Vendetta has still managed to make a huge impact. Endlessly quotable and painstakingly designed, the film version of V’s mask has also become iconic in itself. Protestors, anti-establishment bloggers and even “Hacktivist” groups like Anonymous have all used its image as a symbol of rebellion. Therefore, a TV series of V for Vendetta could arguably turn out to be even more influential.

Even though Moore's Watchmen is being re-imagined as a TV show, some may think that the project is a tad ambitious, especially given that British companies don't usually dabble with adaptations of best-selling comic book properties. Historically speaking, British television doesn’t possess the same kind of funding for blockbuster serials as America. However, that hasn’t stopped potent, barnstorming stories like Doctor Foster, Peaky Blinders and Taboo being told, so there’s every chance that a V for Vendetta show could succeed just as well too.

Indeed, Channel 4 alone has produced many acclaimed and entertaining shows in recent years, including Misfits, Utopia and — before #Netflix picked it up — a little-known show called #BlackMirror. Of course, a TV version of V for Vendetta isn’t likely to feature such a starry cast as the movie version, but with so many veterans and up-and-comers currently on the scene, a serialized re-telling of Moore’s work could hew even closer to the original story.

'V For Vendetta' Is Inherently British

As brilliant and beloved as the film adaptation is, many felt that it lacked the specific British focus that made V for Vendetta so special in the first place. Plus, Moore’s sprawling stories do make the adaptation process difficult, so the Wachowski’s regrettably had to trim plots down, and make major changes to certain characters, such as Gordon and Detective Finch. The episodic nature of #TV would therefore allow the story to be told more accurately than ever before, and even investigate the Norsefire state in even more detail.

Certainly, this expansion beyond the original narrative worked wonders for the award-winning adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s #TheHandmaidsTale. This particular adaptation moved beyond the novel’s singular focus and included other characters and facets of the Gilead state, demonstrating how dystopian fiction can be successful on TV.

If a V for Vendetta TV show is truly on the way, there's never been a more appropriate time to adapt this story than now. Not only are we living through an opportune "golden age" of television, but political thrillers are painfully relevant in the current climate. After all, The Handmaid’s Tale managed to stir up insightful commentaries about the dark similarities it shares with current American politics. It therefore stands to reason that the dark, socio-political bite of V for Vendetta could become a timely commentary on the rise of nationalism and the many conversations that are being held concerning the UK's "Brexit".

Again, we’re just at the rumor stage here, so there’s no attached cast or production crew to analyse as of yet. But now — after publicly tearing down every previous adaptation of his work — one question remains; Will Alan Moore disown this version too? In the right hands, a V for Vendetta TV show could be both an engaging and unnervingly prescient tale for viewers to enjoy, so make sure you keep checking back to Movie Pilot for any new developments!