Watchmen (2009): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 2009, Watchmen is an action, mystery and science fiction film directed by Zack Snyder, running about 163 minutes. “Justice is coming to all of us. No matter what we do.” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. In a gritty and alternate 1985 the glory days of costumed vigilantes have been brought to a close by a government crackdown, but after one of the masked veterans is brutally murdered, an investigation into the killer is initiated. The reunited heroes set out to prevent their own destruction, but in doing so uncover a sinister plot that puts all of humanity in grave danger.

Who’s in it. Watchmen stars Patrick Wilson as Dan Dreiberg / Nite Owl II, Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Edward Blake / The Comedian, Jackie Earle Haley as Walter Kovacs / Rorschach and Laura Mennell as Janey Slater, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 7.3/10, Watchmen has been warmly received by audiences. It went on to earn $185.3M at the box office.

Where to watch. In US you can stream it on HBO Max Amazon Channel and HBO Max and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Watchmen page.

If you liked it. Fans of Watchmen tend to enjoy The Dark Knight, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Inception and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.