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"Based on how great his adaptation was, I’m glad to hear that Hayter is still a key part of this creative team. Having said that, I will admit that when I heard who is directing the film, I just about did a backflip."
Me too.
Will not work well as a movie at all, no matter who directs it.
That's what Terry friggin Gilliam said as well, heh.
How do you take 10 hours and make it fit in 3, and still make sense? Can't.
Now, if it was a 12 hour mini-series on HBO like Band of Brothers, okay, but that would be financially stupid.
One of the things that the guy who reviewed the script said is that the long in-between text segments were out. An aspect I like that I think he mentioned being taken out was the pirate comic book the kid was reading (the Black Freighter I think it was called). That could be really cool on film, oh well. Taking that into account, maybe then a 2hour plus movie could work.
That is maybe 2 issues out of 12.
Removing those will not give you a 2 hour movie.
Assume you need some sort of background on The MinuteMen, Rorshach, Dr. Manhattan, etc, etc.
It cannot be done in a movie and still explain things effectively.
I was just about to look at it, but I've lent it to a friend. Maybe reading the script review in the link would help. I think the talkbacks in that go into what we're talking about. I remember people mentioning doing something similiar to Band of Brothers, and others arguing with the fat cut it's not a really long book.
This is what would be a problem, all of this you have to explain to someone who knows nothing about The Watchmen:
Death of Comedian/Who is he/why they care?
MinuteMen - can do briefly but needs a setup for who The Comedian's daughter is.
Rorshach - Visiting Molach, learns of Comedian's visit and what he says, then hunting 'mask killer'
Dr. Manhattan - Leaving Earth, World on the edge of WW3
Nite Owl/Silk Spectre - Who they are/why important.
Ozymandias - Who he is, what his role is.
Final Showdown/Karnak
Those seem like the major points, even with that minimum, I'm sure I'm forgetting things that would need to be shown to make the story make sense.
And, don't get me wrong, I would like to see it as a movie. But, when you think about the scope of what that would cost and entail, it just doesn't seem like it would accurately capture what makes the book so good (even with the text/pirate stuff gone).
About the only think that I can think of would be 12 hour long animated versions on HBO.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MVS
Hmm, I should pick up the book one of these days. I heard so many good things about this, and yet I dont even know what its about :p
A man is found dead.
Another man, in a costume, investigates his murder.
The man investigating thinks it is a plot to murder former costumed heroes.
From there, it gets complicated.
Alan Moore is amazing. Don't go into the book expecting wall to wall up the ass action. Moore likes to tackle the more abstract aspects of superheroes and their morality. That's why compressing a series into a movie portends disaster. Unless they totally dumb down the film, change and mangle it into a PG-13 action movie and have the stars of the OC as the cast it probably won't be marketable--unless your an (ex)comic book geek like me.
Complicated is a nice word for it.Quote:
Originally Posted by MVS
The story and the characters are just so fleshed out and engrossing, which means that Hollywood would just decimate the whole ambiance of the book.
But I do have to say, seenig Rorshach on the big screen gnawing on sugar cubes would be cool.
They should do a Top 10 miniseries.
All you folks who are up Watchmen's ass should go buy that series, if you haven't. I'd daresay it's the best thing Moore's ever done.
Absolutely. Not just the length either, the subtleness of the whole story will be lost; and once that's gone you're left with a bunch of really cheesy super heroes. If the movie can't adequately show they're really supposed to be cheesy, then it will suck big time.Quote:
Originally Posted by MVS
And yeah, the Watchmen TPB is like $20. Highly recommended, it's excellent.
It's arguably the greatest comic book story ever written.
Top Ten is also excellent, excellent character-driven work.
I'll add V for Vendetta to the list of MUST READ comics (all by Moore =P )
It kind of sucks that these hollywood people are bastardizing Alan Moore's works like with LXG, From Hell(this was alright though) and now The Watchmen.
I have faith that Solid Snake will pull through for Watchmen:lol:
A Top 10 movie would be insane. You'd definetly have to go the animated path or mega budget CGI for it.
Top 10 is great.
Top 10 02 is less so.
Smax is good in a Willingham way.
But, there is a reason why The Watchmen is considered the best all time.
Because it actually is the best all time.
I don't understand all this David Hayter worship.
His X-Men adaptations were decent. Not spectacular. I don't think he could adapt Watchmen properly, nor could anyone else.
That said, I wouldn't mind seeing what Terry Gilliam could come up with.
Slightly OT: are any of you guys reading Wanted? It's like Watchmen, but for villains.
I was kind of excited to see this when I first read the thread title, but now, after having thought about it, I agree with MVS. This is going to be no less than a train wreck.
I'd love to read it, but I usually always wait for the collected. Collecting monthly issues is a pain in my ass.Quote:
Originally Posted by sleeveboy
It's official:
http://watchmenmovie.com/
IMDB page:
http://imdb.com/title/tt0409459/
It seems the director of Bourne Supremacy is doing it now. I don't have a solid opinion on Hayter but he seems to be stuck in comic book movie hell now.
Man, this could suck ass.
But, it could be good.
This is really one of those things that doesn't need a movie.
I mean, every comic nerd knows it, and that's not a very large fanbase.
You lose part of the impact of it when it's not a comic.
Zack Snyder is sneaky...
http://www.chud.com/index.php?type=news&id=9241
Go back to the 300 thread I posted a tid bit about Watchman. Apparently theres an easter egg in the Rated R trailer and the image is that of Roschvach. I will post the pic shortly.
Here ya go.
Click for full size
That picture makes me wet. I'm as big a naysayer as everyone else here in regards to this movie, but that picture just looks good. It fills me with hope.
I know I posted the pic, but if the movie looks like the pic ... then I'm hyped.
I still need to read this. But I've flipped through it at the bookstore, and I can see that a lot of shit will have to get cut out to make it fit into a 2 hour movie.
There is no way in hell a movie of Watchmen can do it justice. Even that pic of Rorschach gives me no hope. But hey, if it will get people to read the book, then great.
Perlman for Watchman?
http://www.superherohype.com/news/topnews.php?id=5329
Snyder wants a larger budget.
http://www.superherohype.com/news/topnews.php?id=5325
I met Ron Perlman at JFK airport last year. He was with some hot black chick.
He's a lot older and smaller in person than he looks in movies. I also seemed to be the only person who knew who he was.
News is coming in slow today guys. But I see LordPerrin trying to take the news mantle.
INterview with Snyder.
http://www.superherohype.com/news/topnews.php?id=5363
Let the viral marketing begin.
http://www.rorschachsjournal.com/
Story on it from AintItCool.com
In casting news, John Cusak has apparently been campaigning for a role in this heavily:
More on casting from AintItCool:Quote:
Zack Snyder all but confirmed recently that Jude Law, Keanu Reeves and Patrick Wilson will star in Watchmen, but now John Cusack tells MTV he would love to be a part of the film:
MTV: You can't Google your name without getting a hit for "Watchmen." Everyone wants you to be in this movie.
Cusack: I'm in. Talk to Zack [Snyder].
MTV: Have you read the comic?
Cusack: Yeah, I actually love the comic. Maybe this is how people get jobs in the modern world. Like, I come on MTV and then he'll see it and give it to me.
MTV: Are you familiar with the character of Nite Owl?
Cusack: There's that guy and then there's Rorschach, right? I like that. I like that stuff.
MTV: Would you prefer to play Rorschach or Nite Owl?
Cusack: I haven't read the script nor have I ever met Mr. Snyder. I thought that was a really, really cool comic. I'm into it. But, you know, we have to talk to Zack's representatives. What studio is doing the film?
MTV: Warner Bros.
Cusack: See, who knows. Warner Bros. might want Ashton Kutcher.
MTV: I don't think that would work. John Cusack would work.
Cusack: Welcome to my world.
Keanu Reeves has since priced himself out of the role.Quote:
A longtime source reared his head today and passed on a few tips about faces we’re likely to see in WATCHMEN when Zack Snyder’s film version of the long-in-development graphic novel adaptation finally makes its way to the screen in 2008, and some of it’s surprising, while some of it isn’t at all.
Right now, there are offers out to three people to join the cast. If the studio’s gotten to the point where they’re officially making an offer, you can expect that these people will most likely make it into the film.
So that means we’ll see The Prom King, Patrick Wilson, suit up as Night Owl. I think he’s a great choice for Dan, and all you need to do is look at the work he did in LITTLE CHILDREN as an example of the sort of quiet sadness he’ll bring to the role.
Dr. Manhattan is a tricky part, and there’s something alien and otherworldly about him. Keanu Reeves always seems to me to be on a different wavelength than anyone else on the planet, so when he steps into the part as the big blue superbeing, it might be a nice fit.
And in the biggest “duh” of the year, Jude Law has been offered the role of Adrien Veidt, aka Ozymandias. Perfect choice, and Law’s been saying for years that he is a huge fan of the material. If anyone out there is more right for the role, I don’t know who it is.
CHUD.com had this bit a while back:
I've also heard rumblings of Willem Dafoe, but I can't seem to find sources. As for the Comedian:Quote:
There’s been a lot happening behind the scenes of Watchmen in the last couple of weeks. Zach Snyder is going to start filming this fall in Vancouver, and he’s got his pre-production team working on storyboards and other art. Meanwhile, casting has been happening, and official announcements should start hitting soon. But there’s one bit of casting that’s been leaked to the web by actor Paddy Considine… he’s not going to play Rorschach, the masked and trenchcoated psychotic vigilante with a taste for cold cans of beans. Considine tells members of his official website that the role has gone out to Jackie Earle Haley.
Quote:
The Comedian’s still up for grabs, too, but they’ve looked at everyone from Ron Pearlman to Nathan Fillion for the role. Right now, it sounds like there’s one actor who Snyder likes for the part, but I’m not at liberty to divulge his identity yet. Let’s just say it’s a “punishing” choice, and the actor brings a lot of comic book credibility to the role if he ends up playing it.
For a "fan" the the comic it sounds like Cusack never read the fucking thing.Quote:
MTV: Are you familiar with the character of Nite Owl?
Cusack: There's that guy and then there's Rorschach, right? I like that. I like that stuff.
MTV: Would you prefer to play Rorschach or Nite Owl?
Cusack: I haven't read the script nor have I ever met Mr. Snyder.
Wow, what a tool.
Interesting choices. Patrick Wilson seems, oh I dunno, a bit young for Nite Owl, who seemed to be at least in his mid-40s in the comic. Jude Law is pretty perfect, I'm glad Reeves is out, I couldn't take a giant blue Keanu Reeves seriously (or as serious as you can take a giant blue, naked man).
And as for Rorschach:
http://img2.timeinc.net/ew/dynamic/i...9__haley_l.jpg
I think that will work.
*edit- I think Cusack would work as Nite Owl. He's bloated and sad looking enough.
On SHH! They claim Thomas Jane has been contacted.
http://www.superherohype.com/news/wa...ws.php?id=5937
Perfect fucking choice!
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/board/a...1&d=1183134744http://www.the-nextlevel.com/board/a...1&d=1183134744
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/board/a...1&d=1183134744
Excellent choice, i think.
John Cusack for Nite Owl? Maybe.
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/board/a...1&d=1183135697http://www.the-nextlevel.com/board/a...1&d=1183135697
Rorschach sent me a message:
He wants people to print the flyer and post it in public and take pics.Quote:
instructions.
need to find mask killer.
help spread word.
see how.
http://rorschachsjournal.com/
.RR.
I have always seen Jessie Ventura as The Comedian. especially b/c he doesn't need to be around for very long and can basically be a body on the pavement and one or two "I'm the fucking Comedian!!!!!one!" scenes
http://img176.imageshack.us/img176/934/jesse1lb6.jpg
RR could be pretty much anyone; from someone who plays psycho-types well like Defoe to Hugh Jackman (RR being a quasi-Wolvie clone anyway).
Nite-Owl is a tremendously interesting choice. You want someone over-the-hill, maybe over-weight, but also someone who could become kick-ass. Not Keanu. Unfortunately, Michael Keaton's already played Batman. We need another washed-up actor that could pull off the Batman persona.
I really don't have an answer for N.O. right now. Going to have to think on it...
As much as I'd love to see a good Watchmen movie, I've gotta agree with MVS here. Watchmen wasn't a book with any filler whatsoever. Nevermind the fact that I think much of what made the book so special was inherent to the comic medium. I don't know that certain aspects/tricks would work in a film.
He's translating it page by page like he did 300. I say give Snyder a change.
Val Kilmer?Quote:
Originally Posted by The_Meach
No matter who makes this movie, who's going to watch it?
Since the thread title wasn't too appropriate anymore, I shortened it up.
Not a bad choice. Now that I actually think about it, John Cusack would be unbelievably awesome. The one caveat would be that Cusack has made a living from being Mister Cool.Quote:
Originally Posted by Super-Eggroll
Night Owl should be a little more washed up, y'know? (yet another reason why Keaton would be a great choice; he's washed up as an actor
AND he's a Batman-type which is precisely what N.O. is)
Except int he movies where he plays a massive anti-social dork. Wait, isn't that most of them?Quote:
Originally Posted by The_Meach
All of them, I thought.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr-K
Whatever happened to William H. Macy?
He'd be an odd, yet interesting Rorscrach.
Too known and not scary enough imo.
Nice to see all the a-list actors on that list.
yeah just like 300 was filled with them too.
Less A List less money on cast more money on everything else.
A-list actors have a habit of demanding script changes and ruining movies. I'd much prefer eager no-names with talent and great writing/production values.
explanation in inside.
http://www.superherohype.com/news/wa...ws.php?id=6086
the movie poster ...
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/board/a...1&d=1185615174
site now up. click the smiley.
http://watchmenmovie.warnerbros.com/
another star signs up.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SHH!
Niiiiiice.
Holy shit, they may actually get this right.
It looks like the 70's.
Yeah I have to say those sets are pretty awesome. Lets hope shit like Dr. Manhattan don't turn out goofy. I honestly can't see how a bald blue dude at this point isn't going to come off a little silly.
As long as he's naked I'm happy.
Im really glad Snyder decided to go with actual set building rather than CG backgrounds. Judging by these pics its going to be nice and gritty and not too overly cartoon-ish.
I really dig those pics.
I mean, let's face it - the film CANNOT live up to the book. But it could still be good.
That looks so tacky. I still can't believe they're actually going through with this blasphemy. The only good thing to come out of all of this is that promotional poster drawn by Gibbons, although I wish he'd protest the film like Moore who has said repeatedly he doesn't want this to be made and will refuse to ever watch it.
OH MY GOD WHY DO THEY HAVE TO MAKE THINGS INTO THINGSQuote:
Originally Posted by Kaneda
For serious though, those sets are choice--I never heard the news that they were actually doing this with sets, look like it was the right choice. Color me interested.
OMG Rorschach sighting!
And I love the look on that diner.
That looks exactly like the comic. Like, it's incredible how exactly they nailed it. What on Earth is there to complain about?Quote:
Originally Posted by Kaneda
That looks exactly like the comic. Like, it's incredible how completely they nailed it. What on Earth is there to complain about?Quote:
Originally Posted by Kaneda
In fact they nailed it so well it had to be stated twice.
Seriously! What comic did you read, dude?
Also: 70s = way tacky. That's the point of that decade.
I can't imagine that he'll have his big blue cock wagging around. I assume they'll get him a blue thong or bike shorts or something.Quote:
Originally Posted by bbobb
Yeah, I'm getting tired of that cg/live-action combo bullshit already.Quote:
Originally Posted by PitfallHarry
The comic doesn't look tacky because it's a fucking comic. Gibbons' art, while realistic, is a far cry from an actual guy wearing an Ozymandias outfit. (The comic takes place in the 80s, btw).
I'm ok with some short Daicon IV-like tribute where you could see Rorschach eating beans, but a full-length movie is such a bad idea. I like Watchmen for how it uses the medium so effectively, not for cool superheroes doing cool supermoves.
At least Miracleman is safe because of all of the legal shit, but it still wouldn't surprise me if they wanted to fuck with that one too.
A 1980's that never got out of the 70's because of Nixon, yeah, exactly. So, the 70's.
No one's taking your funnybook away.
That's how they fucked up The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen movie.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kaneda
No ass raping it with elephant dong is how they fucked up the League movie. At least this has to be marginally better then that.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dolemite
Rorschach jumping out of the refrigerator is going to be fucking epic.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kaneda
After 300, I've got a ton of faith in this director.
If you could have anyone do Watchmen and preserve at least the spirit of it, this is the guy you want on it. League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is what happens when you throw the spirit out the fucking window.
(source)Quote:
Who Sues the Watchmen?
Posted by Patrick on 02/12 at 06:11 AM
And here’s our second movie-related lawsuit to tell you of today: 209th Century Fox is now suing Warner Bros. over what it believes is its rights to develop, produce and distribute a movie based on Watchmen.
When I first read this my immediate thought was “How the hell is that possible when Warners owns DC Comics which owns the Watchmen copyright?” But apparently it is entirely possible for Fox to sue WB if you follow the twisty legal red tape.
According to the explanation provided by The Hollywood Reporter, Fox says that it had the movie rights to the Alan Moore/Dave Gibbons comic book series between 1986 and 1990. Then, in 1991, Fox assigned some rights to Largo Entertainment, a production company, which developed a couple of different Watchmen screenplays by Sam Hamm (the writer of Tim Burton’s 1989 Batman film) and Charles McKeown. I remember these.
So later on Largo then dissolves and the Watchmen development rights fall to producer Lawrence Gordon. If Gordon wanted to make Watchmen with a different movie studio than 20th Century Fox, so Fox claims, the producer had to buy out Fox’s interest in the rights. With me so far?
So during the 1990s the Watchmen movie rights never really went anywhere and the project wound up back at Warner Bros.—which, I assumed, was normal after all this time. Fox doesn’t think so and it thinks Warners has stepped on its rights to develop the movie or buy out Fox’s interest in the picture.
If this is starting to give you a headache, join the party. But here’s the deal: Fox not only wants some kind of monetary damages it also wants to “restrain [Warner Bros. Pictures] from taking actions that violate Fox’s copyrights and which stand to forever impair Fox’s rights to control the distribution and development of this unique work.” Which could mean that if Warner Bros. releases Watchmen in March 2009—which is the present plan—it could be in violation of the earlier agreement with Fox. Which means if Warners lawyers look at the old Watchmen contract and deem that the studio has a case we could be seeing, worst case, a delay in the release of Watchmen while the rights get worked out in a court of law.
The easy way out of this is that WB pays off Fox, regardless if the lawsuit has substance or not, to get any potential delay out of the way. That is, if Warners lawyers think that is the easiest way out. (I’m not a lawyer in real life and you shouldn’t listen to my legal advise. I only play one on television.)
Someone tell me how the book ends. I read from the beginning through the one where Jon goes to Mars and didn't really feel like reading anymore.
The rich dude blows up NYC blah blah ok. What did the Comedian find out?
and the truth comes out.Quote:
Originally Posted by bbobb
Rorshach grills someone:
http://www.aintitcool.com/images2008/watchmen-small.jpg
First pic in a while. The security for this is amazing.
Watchmen Pics
http://www.aintitcool.com/images2007/ComedianSm.jpg
http://www.aintitcool.com/images2007/OzymandiasSm.jpg
http://www.aintitcool.com/images2007...hachFullSm.jpg
http://www.aintitcool.com/images2007/SilkSpectreSm.jpg
http://www.aintitcool.com/images2007/NiteOwlSm.jpg
I'm really digging them except for maybe Ozymandias a little too 89 Batman-ish, but still far cooler than I ever thought it would look.
holy hell awesome!
EDIT: Full Versions on the official page.
Comedian looks spot-on.
I still think they should make it a trilogy of 150 minute movies in order to fit everything in.
omfg this looks amazing
That pic of Rorshach looks awesome.
Holy shit, it looks like they're really getting it right.
Does this mean the videogame tie-in is soon to follow?
I don't see any way they could make a good videogame out of watchmen.
"Rorschach, MY BALLOON!"
Where's Doc Manhattan?
Wherever he is I hope he's naked and blue.
The Comedian looks rad. Nice.
Those made me smile, they are fucking amazing.