The trailer for the long awaited film version of the graphic novel Watchmen has finally been released. Adapted from Alan Moore and Dave Gibbon's award winning comic book series, the film is set to be released in June 2009.

Watchmen is set in alternate 1985 punctuated by Cold War tension and tells the story of a reality in which superheroes exist. The presence of superheroes has changed the course of history with the US winning the Vietnam war and Richard Nixon still in the White House.

The film was directed by Zack Snyder who rose to fame with another recent comic book adaptation 300. Many different directors, including Terry Gilliam, Darren Aronofsky and Paul Greengrass, had been linked with adapting Watchmen for the big screen but the projects were hampered by financial difficulties. Judging from the trailer Snyder wasn't working with a limited budget.

Watchmen trailer