The Watchmen Movie

[Shane]

Will they ever make the film adaptation of the legendary graphic novel Watchmen (written by comics legend Alan Moore)? It's been bounced around for years, with Terry Gilliam of Brazil and 12 Monkeys fame originally being signed on to direct back in the 80s.
Since then, it's moved from studio to studio and never seen the light of day. It seemed close a year or two ago, but it got canned again as part of some internal housecleaning.
Very frustrating for fans of the book.

[The Q]

I heard that they were worried about content translation to cinema. The adaptation to a movie was going to cause it to lose a little of its appeal, not sure how just what I read. I hope it does get made with all of the Comic Book movies being made, That is one that needs to be made in my opinion.

[Shane]

Yeah, it really makes you wonder how they would handle the final attack on New York in today's post 9/11 atmosphere. Somehow I imagine that ending would be somewhat altered.

[Randy]

Good article about The Watchmen movie in this month's Wizard. (Or maybe it was last month's.) Anyway, it seems like it's a real project. They had some great casting ideas, including Gary Oldman as Rorschach.

[Shane]

Horror flick director on duty for 'Watchmen'
By Borys Kit
Reuters
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Zach Snyder, who made his feature filmmaking debut with 2004's "Dawn of the Dead," has come aboard to develop and direct "Watchmen," based on the seminal DC Comics saga of a vigilante superhero.


Alex Tse, who worked with director Spike Lee on the Showtime cable network production "Sucker Free City," is writing a script for the long-gestating "Watchmen" project, now in the pipeline at Warner Bros. Pictures.


"Watchmen" is one of the most critically acclaimed comic book titles, credited with redefining the superhero genre by exploring the private lives of its costumed crime-fighting protagonists.


In November, "Watchmen" appeared as the only graphic novel on Time magazine's list of the 100 best novels since 1923.


Set in an alternate America, "Watchmen" follows the costumed hero Rorschach, who is living a vigilante lifestyle because most masked crime-fighters have retired or been outlawed. While investigating a murder, he learns that a former masked-hero colleague has been killed, prompting him to begin investigating a possible conspiracy.


"Watchmen" has a Hollywood development history almost as epic as the story the comic tells.


The project has seen such studios as Fox, Universal and Paramount come and go and has seduced and vexed such filmmakers as Terry Gilliam , Darren Aronofsky, Paul Greengrass and screenwriter David Hayter.


Sources say Snyder impressed Warner Bros. with his work on "300," an upcoming adaptation of a Frank Miller graphic novel that he directed and co-wrote.

[Randy]

Let's play: "Cast the Watchmen Movie".

Talk about who you'd like to see in the various roles and why.

[Doom_Girl]

I'm still holding my breath waiting for this one to come out. I turned blue long ago.

[Shane]

This is the next project that director Zack Snyder wants to work on. After the success of his Dawn of the Dead and 300, he may get his wish, and we may finally see our beloved Watchmen brought to the big screen.

[Doom_Girl]

Looks like this one might actually happen. Snyder is set to direct and he's been workng on a script that has a run time of 2 1/2 hours. He's looking for a $150 million budget, but he may only get $100 (only!).

Ron Perlman has been approached about playing the Comedian.

Snyder wants to make Nite Owl's costume a bit scarier and put Ozymandias in actual Egyptian armor.

He's a link to a test shot of Rorschach which occurs in a single frame at 1:52 in the R-rated trailer for 300.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...rshach_300.jpg

Tom Cruise has reportedly expressed interest in Ozymandias, but I doubt that will happen.

Snyder is hoping to start shooting in 2007, with a release planned for sometime in 2008. I'm so excited that I'm about to pee in my pants.

[Shane]

According to Harry Knowles at Ain't It Cool News, an inside source has told him that the following roles have been offered to the following actors:

Dr. Manhattan - Keanu Reeves

Ozymandias - Jude Law

Nite Owl - Patrick Wilson (played the pedophile in Hard Candy)

Could be completely false, but I thought I'd pass it along. I hope Law turns down the part, as I've never been a fan of his. Ron Perlman, by the way, would make a kick-ass Comedian.