Natalie Portman’s ‘V for Vendetta” Heading to HBO Max in March

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It’s become almost predictable to draw parallels between current events and science fiction stories from the past, but it’s hard to ignore how often reality seems to echo those dystopian narratives. When these books and films first came out, they often felt ahead of their time, and gradually gained dedicated fans who now see them as surprisingly prescient. Over time, and as more people discover these stories, they feel less like products of a specific era and more like timeless observations about the human condition.

Alan Moore is widely considered a comic book genius. He’s known for redefining classic characters in works like Batman: The Killing Joke and Swamp Thing, and for his groundbreaking story Watchmen, which explores the darker side of superheroes. He also created the popular sci-fi story V for Vendetta, which was made into a 2006 film starring Natalie Portman. That movie will soon be available to stream on HBO Max starting March 1st.

The ideas in Moore’s book were important when V for Vendetta first came out in the early 1980s, but the story and film feel even more impactful now. Beyond that, the film’s images and symbols have become incredibly well-known and recognizable, extending far beyond the original work.

An “Anonymous” Protagonist

The story takes place in a future version of 1990s Britain, after a nuclear disaster has devastated much of the world and led to a surge in fascist and nationalistic ideologies. Under a brutal fascist regime that imprisons and executes anyone considered an enemy, people live in constant fear. This changes when a mysterious figure known only as ‘V’ begins a series of dramatic acts of rebellion, hoping to ignite a nationwide uprising. Alan Moore’s powerful message at the heart of the story is that the power dynamic should be reversed: governments should fear the people, not the other way around.

As a real cinema fan, I’ve always found it fascinating how Alan Moore’s work originally spoke to the huge political changes happening in Britain during the 1980s, especially with Margaret Thatcher in power. And the iconic mask V wears? That’s a direct nod to Guy Fawkes, the guy who tried to blow up Parliament way back in 1605. What’s really clever is how the story uses that mask on so many characters – it’s like they’re saying their strength comes from not being individuals, but part of something bigger.

Following the 2006 film’s release, masks based on a character from the movie became widely available as both collectibles and costumes. Around the late 2000s, the hacker group Anonymous began using these masks, around the same time as the Occupy Wall Street protests. Social media quickly spread images of protestors wearing the masks, and now they’ve become a common sight at demonstrations worldwide, representing a variety of different causes.

A Symbolic Shift for Star Natalie Portman


TriStar Pictures

Natalie Portman first gained widespread recognition in the film Léon: The Professional. She then appeared in several other movies, including Heat, Mars Attacks!, and Beautiful Girls. She became famous for playing Padmé Amidala in the Star Wars prequel trilogy, with the last film in the series released in 2005.

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Following her last appearance in the Star Wars prequels, Natalie Portman played Evey, a young woman mentored by the film’s main character. The role famously required her to shave her head, and she did so in a single take. Many viewers saw this, and the head-shaving scene in particular, as Portman’s way of signaling a shift towards more adult roles after V for Vendetta. This proved true just four years later when she starred in the film Black Swan, a performance that won her the Academy Award for Best Actress.

Even years after its release, V for Vendetta continues to resonate with audiences. In 2025, news surfaced about a planned television series based on the iconic story.



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Unmasking V: Test Your Knowledge of Vendetta’s Legacy
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2026-02-25 22:18