Watchmen: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II Cast In HBO Pilot

HBO is filling out the cast of Damon Lindelof's Watchmen pilot. According to Deadline, Aquaman's Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Endeavour's Sara Vickers have been added to the ensemble cast of the show, which already includes Jeremy Irons, Regina King, Don Johnson, Tim Blake Nelson, Louis Gossett Jr., Adelaide Clemens, Andrew Howard, Tom Mison, Frances Fisher, and Jacob Ming-Trent.

The show is set in an alternate history where superheroes have been treated as outlaws. The series is said to "break new ground of its own" while tackling the famed graphic novel from Alan Moore and David Gibbons. Lindelof, the Lost visionary who will write the pilot, has said that the show will feature new characters in the present day in the world of the comic books. This should help separate the show from the 2009 Zack Snyder film, which tackled the comic books more directly.

As with all of the show's castings announced thus far, there is no word on who Abdul-Mateen or Vickers will play. However, the actors both have extensive resumes that would make them prepared for every part. In addition to playing the villain Black Manta in the upcoming Aquaman, Abdul-Mateen is also known for The Get Down, Baywatch, The Greatest Showman, First Match, and The Handmaid's Tale. Vickers, meanwhile, has appeared on The Crown, The Alienist, Lovesick, and Privates.

The pilot for the potential series will be directed by The Leftovers' Nicole Kassell.