HBO Max orders DMZ, about a second American civil war

Rosario Dawson, Benjamin Bratt and Ava DuVernay bring us an adaptation of DMZ from DC Comics, about a second American civil war.

Have you ever wondered what it would look like if America plunged into a second civil war? You could read the hit 72-issue DC/Vertigo comic book series DMZ by Brian Wood and Riccardo Burchielli, published in the early 2000s. Or you can wait for the HBO Max limited series version, with a pilot helmed by the Oscar-nominated director of Selma and A Wrinkle in Time, Ava DuVernay! Roberto Patino (Westworld) will serve as showrunner.

A four-part series, DMZ is set in a near-future America that has been demolished by civil war, with Manhattan Island becoming a demilitarized zone, or DMZ, hence the title. Production on the pilot commenced before the coronavirus pandemic shut down most film and TV sets. Thankfully, HBO has not given up on the show.

“‘DMZ’s unflinching story of a country torn apart resonates eerily and profoundly amid our current state of the union,” said HBO Max head of original content, Sarah Aubrey. “With the powerhouse visionary team of Ava and Roberto at the helm, bringing this critically acclaimed DC gem to life promises to entertain and inspire hope.”

So who is involved? The series stars Rosario Dawson (Briarpatch, Sin City) as Alma Ortega, a badass medic on a hunt for her lost son. Benjamin Bratt (Doctor Strange, Catwoman) plays Parco Delgado, a powerful leader of the Delgado Nation and proclaimed Governor of the DMZ. Also involved are Freddy Miyares (When They See Us), Hoon Lee (Banshee), and Jordan Preston Carter (The Haves and the Have Nots).

Roberto Patino also made a (very excited) statement:

"I couldn’t be more thrilled to bring this epic to the screen with my boundary-pushing partners at WBTV and HBO Max, a sublime cast led by Rosario and Benjamin, and my partner and friend, the inimitable and ever-inspiring Ava DuVernay. DMZ offers up an explosive playground which, more than anything else, exalts the resilience of community and the human spirit. I can’t wait to welcome the die-hard fans of the comic books and new viewers alike to this intoxicating, haunting and inspiring world."

Production on the series is scheduled to resume in 2021. There is no current release date. It might be a while before it finally hits screens, but this is definitely one to look out for when it does!

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