Veteran actor Robert Redford has reportedly been cast as President Robert Redford -- an alt-history version of himself -- in HBO's upcoming Watchmen series.
Fox News reports that Redford has boarded the upcoming comic book series, despite declaring his retirement from acting last year. This follows Deadline's initial report that the character of President Robert Redford would play a role in HBO's Watchmen. (Notably, Redford also reprised his Marvel role of Alexander Pierce in Avengers: Endgame earlier this year.)
In the 12th and final issue of Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' original Watchmen graphic novel, allusions are made to Robert Redford becoming President of the United States following the events of the comic, which was later confirmed by Doomsday Clock.
Watchmen showrunner Damon Lindelof previously explained that in the canon of the show, Redford became president in 1992. Thanks to Richard Nixon abolishing presidential term limits during his earlier presidency, Redford has remained in office up until 2019, when series take place.
"It's not supposed to be a world that you recognize to Trojan horse themes that are in a real world in a fictional one," Lindelof said in a Q&A session with the Television Critics Association. "What is actually history and what is alt-history and things start to get blended in the middle."
Redford signing on to play an alternate version of himself will add authenticity and depth of character that another actor playing the role of Robert Redford may have struggled to replicate. Where will history and alt-history merge for Robert Redford? We will have to wait until the series premieres in fall to find out.
Developed by Damon Lindelof, HBO's Watchmen stars Jeremy Irons, Regina King, Don Johnson, Robert Redford, Tim Blake Nelson, Louis Gossett Jr., Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Tom Mison, James Wolk, Adelaide Clemens, Andrew Howard, Frances Fisher, Jacob Ming-Trent, Sara Vickers, Dylan Schombing, Lily Rose Smith and Adelynn Spoon. The series will premiere this fall.