In One Sci-Fi Alternate Universe, Robert Redford Became President Of The United States
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The world lost an absolute legend recently as Robert Redford, one of the greatest actors of all time, passed away at the age of 89. From his Oscar-nominated roles in movies like "The Sting" to his Oscar-winning work behind the camera in "Ordinary People," he was a singular talent. He was also widely beloved, one of those people that nobody seemed to dislike. Indeed, that very charm and likability is what made him the perfect candidate to become President of the United States in "Watchmen."
Created by Damon Lindelof ("The Leftovers"), 2019's "Watchmen" series on HBO served as a sequel to the all-time classic graphic novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. In Lindelof's version of the future U.S., it was Redford who succeeded Richard Nixon as President of the United States. Thanks to abolished term limits, Redford actually served for seven terms in this universe. Speaking ahead of the show's release in July 2019, Lindelof explained this bit of "Watchmen" alternate history and how it all unfolded:
"We're interested in exploring what would happen if a very well-intentioned liberal white man was President for way too long. Nixon was still president in '85. He remained president, was re-elected in '88. He died in office. Gerald Ford became President as Nixon's Vice President and then was defeated in '92 by Robert Redford."
"We've created a world that does not have an internet," Lindelof added at the time, explaining that the Redford administration created a very different world than the one we actually live in. "People do not have smart phones. Even though it's set in 2019, the Redford administration saw the writing on the wall and stepped in to make sure we could not troll each other."
Damon Lindelof wrote Robert Redford a letter about Watchmen
Watchmen" the graphic novel was a searing bit of political commentary that was both of its time yet remains poignant to this day. Rather than re-adapting the book itself, however, Lindelof and HBO made the bold choice to craft a sequel to the story — one that saw the U.S. ruled by a liberal agenda, rather than a deeply conservative one.
Redford was, himself, a liberal man, which is something Lindelof tried to make use of in his show. "He was incredibly well-intentioned in terms of the legislation he passed and the America that he wanted to create," Lindelof said of the version of Redford in "Watchen" in 2019. "But that doesn't mean it worked out the way he wanted it to"
Lindelof's bold swing paid off, as "Watchmen" was a massive hit in the ratings department, in addition to being a critical smash. While Redford never appeared in the show personally, Lindelof explained to Collider in December 2019 that he wrote a letter to the actor, leaving the door open for collaboration (though it never came to pass):
"We wrote Robert Redford a letter, describing our intention with his usage in the show. And, also, what our general sense of what 'Watchmen' was to us. And, an incredibly high esteem in which we hold him both as an actor, and a purveyor of the arts. And, also, as a prominent progressive liberal, who shares many of the same ideologies with a number of us, behind the scenes. And, we left the door open in that letter, should he choose to respond to it, that we would invite him to come and play on the show, if he were game."