The Watchmen

[wolfx]

http://www.firstshowing.net/2007/02/11/zack-snyder-watchmen/

Zack Snyder who did 300 will be helming Watchmen! w00ts.

Here's a shot of Rosarch picking up a smiley badge, apparent in this extended trailer for 300 which i have yet to watch.

Badge:

http://www.aintitcool.com/images2007/rorshach_badge.jpg

Edited March 8, 2009 by wolfx

[Golden Arms]

I'm cautiously optimistic about this film. I don't think that all of the intricacies of this story will translate well to film, but we'll see. Even if this film were to be 3 hrs in length they would still have to gloss over alot of relevant material. I don't think that this is a story that should be made into a film. Maybe an HBO miniseries but a feature film hell no.

[Ladic]

this movie is gonna rock, dawn of the dead remake and 300 are awesome.

[Guppy]

Wish it had been a series if it had to be made at all. I bought this graphic novel about 17 years ago and I've still got the same one. God knows how many times I've read it. I fear I'm too big a fan to get behind this movie even though I did love Dawn (haven't seen 300 yet but the trailer looks great)

[wolfx]

Wish it had been a series if it had to be made at all. I bought this graphic novel about 17 years ago and I've still got the same one. God knows how many times I've read it. I fear I'm too big a fan to get behind this movie even though I did love Dawn (haven't seen 300 yet but the trailer looks great)

I share the same feelings. Maybe they should make it a series that competes with Heroes. Hiro? What Hiro? This is Rosarch!!

[Radd]

I've yet to see the Dawn remake, or 300, but are they really representative of the themes and style of Watchmen? From what I recall, Watchmen wasn't a thrill a minute action blockbuster. It was downright psychological in the way it set it's world, and picked apart its characters and themes.

I know ages ago Terry Gilliam really wanted to try his hand at a Watchmen mini series. I would have loved to have seen that.

I kinda hope that Rorshach pick is a mockup shot. It looks too artificial in the same way too many movies these days look. Like people are afraid to make anything look dirty or real in a movie anymore. Rorshach wasn't exactly known for his trendy new clothes. Not the sort of thing that will keep me from enjoying it if it's an otherwise good movie, of course, and more a statement on Hollywood as a whole than specific nitpicking.

For this movie, I'm far more concerned with how they plan to cut the story down to fit the short attention span of the average American moviegoer.

[Seven]

I think Chris Nolan would have been a good choice to direct given his ability to handle complex storylines like Memento and The Prestige. In Watchmen's case, with the multiple flashbacks into the characters pasts it would make it a boon if a director can weave such things well. I wonder how they are going to handle Dr Manhattan.

[Mr March]

I'm very concerned about the way this Watchmen film will be made. I do like Zack Snyder as a genre filmmaker, but I really don't think he's a good choice at all for something like Watchmen. Watchmen has a lot of dense storytelling with subtle detail and strong subtexts. It's also not a conventional comic book so it doesn't makes sense that you would make a conventional film adaptation, nor use a conventional director like Snyder.

Even when Aronofsky was attached (and later Mat Vaughn) I still had concerns if the script would work, but at least I knew the film would address some of the depth of the graphic novel with the right director.

I'm really assuming the worst for this film, based on what's been revealled so far. I usually don't like predictions of doom, but the time this thing spent in development hell has wasted several chances for some very talented autures to make a proper adaptation. I can only hope I'm wrong.

[big F]

I really really hope they do a good job. The Watchmen has so much depth to it as an idea and story, To tell it all they will have to make it over serveral films. Thinking about the Xmen this is a whole in depth story that even though there have been three films they have still only scratched the surface. Rule one is dont dumb it down. The attention span of modern movie goers is attrocious. So many people get bored after 90 mins, you need a lot more than that for a decent film and story. Watchmen would be better as a mini series I think.

[Mr March]

The problem is the modern Hollywood movie mindset. Because the big studios are primarily a business, they are run as such. This is as it should be, since you can only make more movies if the business works and works well year after year. As a savy, modern movie studio, you want to make one of two types of movies:

1) small, low budget films that have mass market potential, like Little Miss Sunshine made for $8 million and making over $100 million.

2) large, big budget films made as heavily marketed spectacles with big potential box office draws, like Casino Royale made for $150 million and brining in just under $600 million.

Unforunately, this also means that certain types of films either don't get made because they don't fit either of those two venture profiles or they are turned into something which does fit those profiles, sadly at the expense of the original story/concept. Which is why you get a film like "I, Robot" turned into summer box office action flick with a big star when it should have been made as a modest sci-fi drama film like "Children of Men." The middle budget films are few and don't garner the support or attention they need. I think the ideal Watchmen film adaptation would be such a moderate budget film, best made with a concentration on script, proper spending and acting. I'm not sure if we'll get that.

The good news is, movies like "300" are a surprise that hopefully gets more attention and support from the film industry. Made for only $65 million, "300" is a rarity these days, a middle budget picture that is enjoying big returns and a lot of media attention. But "300" is also a broad appeal film, something that a proper Watchmen film definitely would not be.

Edited March 13, 2007 by Mr March

[electric indigo]

So what do you think of the casting?

Watchmen casting evolution

[Graham]

Pah, as a long time George Romero fan, I absolutely hated the Dawn remake. Zombies, do not, I repeat DO NOT run like olympic spriters, period!

And 300 was a fun but forgettable summer popcorn flick.

I definitely have no confidence that Snyder, or any director for that matter could make a good Watchmen movie.

Graham

[bsu legato]

Zombies, do not, I repeat DO NOT run like olympic spriters, period!

Uh....I'm not even sure how to reply to that.

[dizman]

Uh....I'm not even sure how to reply to that.

You agree with it cause it's pretty much true, Dawn of the Dead was ok but it didnt catch the true essence of the original. I hope Zack can get most of the important stuff into The Watchmen movie but somehow I doubt it, I agree with most of you that it should be a miniseries so to tell the whole story.

[bsu legato]

You agree with it cause it's pretty much true,

No, I'm going to go ahead and disagree. To argue that fictional undead creatures can only be portrayed in one particular fashion is juvenile at best.

[Mr March]

Uh....I'm not even sure how to reply to that.

You could call the original remark what it is: utter bs. And you'd be correct.

As for Watchmen, I remain extremely skeptical and this casting evolution has only made me more jaded. I like Zack Snyder, but he's yet to prove himself with a film of substance. The casting so far is hit and miss in my opinion. A few of the roles reek of "lowest common denominator" decision making and are cast way too young. Patrick Wilson is just wrong for the role of Nite Owl II, especially for Dreiberg who even in his prime as a costumed adventurer was far more subtle a combatant than overtly athletic. Crudup wouldn't exactly be my first choice of Osterman, but he does have the acting chops to pull it off. Overall, mixed feelings and I was hoping for better. Greengrass was definitely on the right track for his aborted attempt.

[Gubaba]

I'm not the slightest bit optimistic about this...for a Watchmen movie to work, the dialogue will be crucial, and that's one thing that Hollywood no longer cares about, especially in big-budget movies. The characters are complex, the plot is complex, and there's a lot of necessary backstory that is revealed only in hints and references.

Cerebral, character-driven, and heavily reliant on subtlety and nuance...yeah, Hollywood's great at that...

[promethuem5]

I LOVE the comic, and am excited about this film, but yeah... I'm also worried. It's such an intricate and multi-layered plot that I don't see how one movie could possibly work...

[Macross73]

I'm not the slightest bit optimistic about this...for a Watchmen movie to work, the dialogue will be crucial, and that's one thing that Hollywood no longer cares about, especially in big-budget movies. The characters are complex, the plot is complex, and there's a lot of necessary backstory that is revealed only in hints and references.

Cerebral, character-driven, and heavily reliant on subtlety and nuance...yeah, Hollywood's great at that...

I don't see how anyone can turn this into a 90 - 120 min movie. Even if the story was released as trilogy

for theaters it would still be too complex for the time frame. I think that it would be

better to turn into a mini - series. A narrator can provide the exposition ie. that was there in

the book. Having Hollywood turn this into a exploding-car-chase "blockbuster would ruin it .

And that would be tragic.

[Alex]

I don't see how anyone can turn this into a 90 - 120 min movie. Even if the story was released as trilogy

for theaters it would still be too complex for the time frame. I think that it would be

better to turn into a mini - series. A narrator can provide the exposition ie. that was there in

the book. Having Hollywood turn this into a exploding-car-chase "blockbuster would ruin it .

And that would be tragic.

A lot of the early buzz is that it is less reliant on wham-bam-thankyou, ma'm tactics and more closely follows the style of the book. So THEY say. Remains to be seen.

At least the scene where Rorschach attacks the police at Moloch's seems to be faithful. He isn't using Kung Fu or wire work against them. At least I hope to God he isn't.

[Smiley424]

After picking up the Absolute Edition of Watchmen recently(gorgeous, anyone who's is a fan should pick up a copy) I just don't see how the movie can be good. At best it'll be a summary of the book.

[Graham]

No, I'm going to go ahead and disagree. To argue that fictional undead creatures can only be portrayed in one particular fashion is juvenile at best.

You could call the original remark what it is: utter bs. And you'd be correct.

Chill out guys. Maybe I'm reading this wrong, but I sense a lot of hostility to what was inteded as a humorous remark.

Graham

[Graham]

Read Watchman dozens of times since I first bought it back in 1987.

I definitely think a mini-series would be preferable to movie. There is no way you could fit everything into a movie, even if it was 3 hours long, without cutting or changing too much.

Personally, I have my doubts that the material is even suitable for adaptation to the screen, even as a mini-series with a highly-talented director.

Graham

[M'Kyuun]

I'm not the slightest bit optimistic about this...for a Watchmen movie to work, the dialogue will be crucial, and that's one thing that Hollywood no longer cares about, especially in big-budget movies. The characters are complex, the plot is complex, and there's a lot of necessary backstory that is revealed only in hints and references.

Cerebral, character-driven, and heavily reliant on subtlety and nuance...yeah, Hollywood's great at that...

C'mon, has to be that way for the American ADD Starbucks crowd. Nuance and subtlety would do well in European and Eastern markets, but not so much in the US. This will most likely be a PG-13 story tied to an action figure line, replete with inane one-liners, explosions, too-pretty to be real 20-somethings, and a reimagined storyline to "fit" with the modern world..i.e. the usual thoughtless drek targeting the teen demographic. I hope I'm wrong and the director chooses to make it in the same vein as 300 and Sin City, very true to the original graphic novels.

[Mr March]

After picking up the Absolute Edition of Watchmen recently(gorgeous, anyone who's is a fan should pick up a copy) I just don't see how the movie can be good. At best it'll be a summary of the book.

I adore Absolute Watchmen. I agree that any Watchmen fan should pick up this edition. They owe it to themselves to see this classic comic book in a great, large page format with brand new colors reworked under direction by the original artist. I also like the comment section by Moore and Gibbons and the making-of section at the back, something that was only included in the rare Graffiti edition.

Edited March 2, 2008 by Mr March

[KingNor]

if robin williams is Rosarch i'm not touching this movie. effing robin williams. the horror

[kanedaestes]

C'mon, has to be that way for the American ADD Starbucks crowd. Nuance and subtlety would do well in European and Eastern markets, but not so much in the US. This will most likely be a PG-13 story tied to an action figure line, replete with inane one-liners, explosions, too-pretty to be real 20-somethings, and a reimagined storyline to "fit" with the modern world..i.e. the usual thoughtless drek targeting the teen demographic. I hope I'm wrong and the director chooses to make it in the same vein as 300 and Sin City, very true to the original graphic novels.

It's the same director from 300. He seems pretty passionate about it and it looks really good and faithful from the few screen shots i have seen. Even Dave Gibbons himself is very pleased with out things are going. Alan Moore could care less as he does with all adaptations of his work. Funny for someone that hates the hollywood process so much I found it odd he did a recent episode of the Simpsons. It was funny but not something i would have seen the great Moore.

[kanedaestes]

For those who haven't seen pics yet

[Gubaba]

C'mon, has to be that way for the American ADD Starbucks crowd. Nuance and subtlety would do well in European and Eastern markets, but not so much in the US. This will most likely be a PG-13 story tied to an action figure line, replete with inane one-liners, explosions, too-pretty to be real 20-somethings, and a reimagined storyline to "fit" with the modern world..i.e. the usual thoughtless drek targeting the teen demographic. I hope I'm wrong and the director chooses to make it in the same vein as 300 and Sin City, very true to the original graphic novels.

I think the problem is that - dare I say it? Yes, I shall - while you can argue that Sin City and 300 (I'm talking about the comics here, I haven't seen the movies) are just as good or better than Watchmen, I think no one can deny that Watchmen is MUCH, MUCH more complicated. Frank Miller is a very cinematic artist and writer, Alan Moore isn't.

The fact that Hollywood keeps thinking he is (and that goes back to Return of the Swamp Thing) just shows me that there are a lot of people in Hollywood who really have no idea what they're doing.

Now, if they wanted to make a D.R. and Quinch movie, THAT could be awesome...

[Alpha OTS]

Gerard Butler Talks Black Freighter

Exclusive: On The Watchmen DVD extra!

It’s been rumoured for a while now, but Gerard Butler has confirmed to Empire that he will be lending his vocal talents to the animated Tales Of The Black Freighter short that Zack Snyder is planning as a companion piece to Watchmen.

The Scottish actor had been linked with a role in Watchmen for a long time, but when nothing materialised, it seemed likely that he wouldn’t be linking up with his 300 director on next year’s eagerly-awaited blockbuster.

But, when Snyder hatched plans to film the Tales Of The Black Freighter comic-within-a-comic that tells the tale of a castaway’s mental and physical deterioration and damnation as he tries to intercept a ghost freighter headed for his hometown, and include it on the Watchmen DVD, Butler’s name surfaced once more.

And, speaking to Empire just the other day, he told us that he had committed to the project.

“I’m going to do the voice of the captain,” said Butler. “They’re going to do it in the style of a Japanese anime and I’m totally stoked.

“I actually read the script before reading the comic book and I thought it was awesome,” continued the 38 year-old. “Then I read the comic book and it’s great. The little bits that have been added define it so much more. It’s very dark and there’s just something so descriptive and scary. It’s this descent into madness but explained in such a sane way that you totally feel it yourself. By the end, my heart was pumping!”

Although considered extraneous to the plot of the movie proper by Snyder and his predecessor, Paul Greengrass, Tales Of The Black Freighter is a story that deepens the impact of Watchmen’s main plot, mirroring the arc of a character we won’t reveal.

As a side project, the anime approach is brave and the addition of Butler – who has a great speaking voice – makes this even more exciting. Let’s hope he keeps that Scottish burr.

Watchmen will be released next March.

Chris Hewitt

[Gubaba]

"Raw WHAT? Shark? Why would I be interested in...

...Raw shark..."

[kanedaestes]

More pics of characters

Edited March 6, 2008 by kanedaestes

[baronv]

The new character pics look great. Only Ozymidas' and slightly Night Owl costume looks to have had the most tweaks since their costumes been armored up.

Edited March 6, 2008 by baronv

[Mr March]

Rorschach, The Comedian and the Silk Spectre are definitely close live-action approximations of the original Watchmen character designs. Nite Owl and Ozymandias are certainly the most radically redesigned in their live-action incarnations. I must say the film is certainly surprising me with the amount of style it has retained from the golden age era motif that was used in the original Watchmen graphic novel. These live-action versions of the characters definitely feel very retro. Nite Owl still looks retro with those goggles and I noticed his ship looks the same in the background. Ozymandias actually looks Gilliam-esque, like he belongs in Brazil or Flash Gordon.

Well, I have to say the costume designs are certainly much better than I was expecting.

[Southpaw Samurai]

I'm sort of hoping these are from when the characters were 'cool 'and active... Ozy looks a little on the young side (and has some serious torso distortions... but that's probably just a mistake in the photo manipulation) and Night Owl looks too in shape and menacing to be his 'present time' form. He doesn't need to be as large and pudgy as in the comic, but if they go TOO Hollywood slim and pretty, it'll ruin the character's arc, in my opinion. I'll be happy with this being his current look if it's the costume that's giving him the muscular arms and basically acting like a girdle holding in the flab.

Ozy's rubber nips are amuzing... making as us much a statement on relatively recent movie superheroes as the comics did their predecessors. The Comedian almost looks like someone did a lifelike portrait of the drawn figure, so no complaints there and Rorschach looks good (then again, you'd almost have to be deliberately screwing up his look). Can't complain with the nice compromise done with Silk Spectre's outfit either.