HBO Developing ‘V for Vendetta’ Series With James Gunn, Pete Jackson Writing
Peter Safran, Ben Stephenson and Leanne Klein back a DC Studios take on Alan Moore and David Lloyd’s classic.
Summary
- HBO is developing a live-action V for Vendetta series based on the Alan Moore and David Lloyd graphic novel
- DC Studios co-heads James Gunn and Peter Safran are executive producing, with BAFTA-winning writer Pete Jackson attached to pen the script
- The themes of authoritarianism and dissent make the project feel newly urgent, aligning with HBO’s prestige DC storytelling
HBO is developing a live-action V for Vendetta series, per multiple trade reports led by Variety. Pete Jackson (not the New Zealand filmmaker) is writing. DC Studios heads James Gunn and Peter Safran are executive producers alongside Ben Stephenson (Poison Pen) and Leanne Klein (Wall to Wall Media).
Warner Bros. Television will produce through its UK arm. No casting, directors, or release window are confirmed. HBO and DC declined comment, signaling the project is still early.
Based on the seminal graphic novel by Alan Moore and David Lloyd, the story tracks an anarchist in a Guy Fawkes mask battling a fascist regime, and Evey Hammond’s political awakening.
The property’s cultural cachet remains massive. James McTeigue’s 2005 film, scripted by the Wachowskis and starring Hugo Weaving and Natalie Portman, helped popularize the mask as a modern protest symbol. A 20th-anniversary theatrical re-release is planned for 2026. For HBO, this aligns with prestige DC storytelling. The Penguin expanded Matt Reeves’ Gotham, and Lanterns is expected in early 2026. The network also delivered 2019’s acclaimed Watchmen, proving space for bold, interpretive takes.
