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HBO's Watchmen Casts Aquaman Villain Yahya Abdul-Mateen II
It would seem working for Warner Bros. on one of its DC Universe films is just one of the ways to land a spot on HBO’s Watchmen series, as Aquaman actor Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is the latest actor to join the ever-expanding cast. Damon Lindelof’s ambitious new series is beginning production on the pilot episode and has added a number of new faces to the already impressive cast. Recent additions include Academy Award winner (and current Alfred Pennyworth) Jeremy Irons, as well as former Sleepy Hollow star Tom Mison, Frances Fisher, and Jacob Ming-Trent. Those actors are set to join the likes of Regina King, Don Johnson, Louis Gossett Jr., and Tim Blake Nelson.
This most recent round of casting not only welcomes Abudul-Mateen, but also Sara Vickers (The Crown, The Alienist). As has been the case with each casting announcement there’s no word on the characters either Abdul-Mateen or Vickers will play, and the size of the cast has already eclipsed the character descriptions seen on the supposed leaked call sheet. As far as what Lindelof ultimately has planned for the series, outside of what information he’s already divulged, and how this increasingly sizable cast will fit into those plans, it would seen fans are entering into uncharted territory now. But since the project doesn’t seem to have any trouble attracting this level of talent, perhaps it can be assumed that those who are more in the know are sufficiently impressed with what they’ve seen.
The news of Abdul-Mateen and Vickers’ casting was reported by The Wrap. Unlike Irons’ “lead” role, the news didn’t mention what purpose either would serve in the series, so it’s difficult to say whether or not the new roles will function more in a supporting capacity or something more significant. With Abdul-Mateen’s profile poised to be on the rise following the release of James Wan’s Aquaman — or even its first trailer, which is expected to drop this summer — it wouldn’t be outside the realm of possibility that he’ll be taking a prominent position in the pilot and series, should it be picked up by HBO.
To date, Abdul-Mateen’s biggest roles have been as Cadillac in Baz Luhrmann’s expensive birth of hip-hop Netflix series, The Get Down, and as Sgt. Ellerbee in the ill-fated Baywatch reboot starring Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron. He’s also had roles in season 2 of Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale and can be seen again in the upcoming dramedy Boundaries, with Vera Farmiga and Christopher Plummer. But it’s his role as DC Comics villain Black Manta that will likely put him on the radar of most audiences.
This latest round of casting for Watchmen has been a boon for the potential new series, as it’s garnered Lindelof’s latest television endeavor plenty of press without having to offer up any additional details or explanations as to what it is and why it’s not another direct adaptation of the graphic novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. There’s only so much interest a series of casting announcements can make, though, so it will be interesting to see what sort of details come out of the production and how audiences respond.
