WATCHMEN NOW @ WARNER BROS.

**MattBrady** · 12-19-2005, 10:26 AM

It’s either “Finally! A Watchmen movie is going to be made!” or “Another studio gets to try to make a Watchmen movie,” as The Hollywood Reporter confirmed what was first reported by Entertainment Weekly in its Oral History of Watchmen to be coming, that is, Warner Bros. is now the home for a possible film version of the Alan Moore/Dave Gibbons graphic novel originally published by DC in 1987.

Having been in talks to be turned into a movie nearly since its publication, the filmic history of Watchmen plays like a Hollywood who’s who: Initially, the film was set up at Universal in 2001 with David Hayter to adapt, Mark Gordon producing; then it moved to Paramount in July 2004 with Hayter and Gordon, and now Darren Aronofsky attached as director; Araonofsky left the project in November of ‘04, and Paul Greengrass came on as director. Production was slowly beginning in London early this year, when Paramount shut it down in June, reportedly due to the film’s budget and dark tone not meshing with Paramount’s new management.

In the interim, Time Warner. has been working to revitalize DC Comics’ status within the larger entertainment field (read: not just comics) as well as streamline and simplify its relationships with other WB families. Given the new view of DC within Time Warner, many observers felt that it was only a matter of time until Warners landed the Watchmen project when Paramount killed it in June.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Warner Bros. is looking for writers and talking to directors. Gordon, who holds the rights to the film version, is most likely still attached as a producer. From THR: “Starting from scratch is not being ruled out as the studio would like to attract big-name stars. Paramount has the right of first refusal to co-finance the eventual picture.”

Given Moore’s current view of movies based on his comics though, his name will most likely not appear in anything to do with the film, as, due to being displeased with the project, has had his name removed from the upcoming film version of his and David Lloyd’s V for Vendetta (also produced by Warner Bros.) that’s due in theaters on March 17th.

algertman · 12-19-2005, 10:34 AM

By the time this movie gets made it will be released on 100th anniversary of Watchmen

Croaker · 12-19-2005, 10:35 AM

I really hope DC and Time Warner do the right thing here and try to bring Moore in to help with this film to get his vision as accurate as possible and to maybe mend relations between him and DC.

Jon Snow · 12-19-2005, 10:36 AM

I´ve always entertained the notion that David Lynch would be a perfect fit to direct this movie...and if ever they make an "Arkham Asylum" movie,Lynch should do it too.

Kha_O · 12-19-2005, 10:39 AM

Moore has stated on more than one occasion that he hates not only movie adaptations, but movies in general.

Why does a movie need to be made of this? Watchmen is the epitome of the comics medium... why even attempt to transfer it over to another medium?

There hasn't been a comics attempt at Citizen Kane... that 2001: A Space Odyssey adaptation that Marvel did was painfully bad...

Lynch doing a comic book movie? What's that line about monkey's flying out of someone's ass...

Jon Snow · 12-19-2005, 10:41 AM

Adaptation of what,pray?

khuxford · 12-19-2005, 10:52 AM

I want Aronofsky back on the flick. He's an excellent director.

djshalope · 12-19-2005, 10:53 AM

just like it was a bit too early to make a Captain America movie in the 90s (don't believe me, then go see it), i think it might be a bit too early for a Watchmen movie. F/X are good, but maybe not good enough to capture the alien invasion and Dr. Manhattan. i think it needs the tactile look of Return of the Jedi's costumes and props mixed with sharp real world footage. could it be done well at this point?

SouthtownKid · 12-19-2005, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Kha_O
Moore has stated on more than one occasion that he hates not only movie adaptations, but movies in general.

Why does a movie need to be made of this? Watchmen is the epitome of the comics medium... why even attempt to transfer it over to another medium?

I agree. The comic is already perfect as is. I love movies, but it's as if people think Watchmen will gain some kind of legitimacy or something by becoming a film. It won't. It will become a watered down, dumbed down waste of time that only vaguely resembles the original, like the movie versions of League of Extrordinary Gentlemen or From Hell.

Taking something like Batman, which has already been through a hundred interpretations with a thousand creators, and making a huge Summer movie, is one thing. Taking something unique like Ghost World, and turning it into a smaller, more personal movie, is possible. But taking something unique like Watchmen and trying to make a huge Summer movie out of it will be a disaster.

Metalleg · 12-19-2005, 11:01 AM

I still would really like to see Paul Greengrass's version of Watchmen. He's an interesting (if not obvious) choice - Bloody Sunday was excellent and Bourne Supremacy was about as good a job as someone could do with the material provided. (Ahem...) He also talked extensively about being very faithful to the source material (he was only really going to omit the 'pirate comic' section). It would be a real shame if he was replaced on this one.

Even now I can hear the names McG and Ratner being mentioned in a WB boardroom somewhere....

gredenko · 12-19-2005, 11:06 AM

It sounded like the last iteration of the film was going to be pretty exciting and was being handled well. It makes sense for WB to try and keep the property, but it's one of the easiest stories to get wrong out of all of the comic to movie adaptation craze.

Let's just hope that when it finally gets made that it's as good as the advance word on V for Vendetta has made that movie sound. It sounds like WB has given V the right amount of freedom to be adapted, and have put it in capable hands.

Jon Snow · 12-19-2005, 11:06 AM

I think that it all depends on the approach they decide to take.
If they´re going for a big summer movie,with lots of sfx,then i say give this to Peter Jackson or Steven Spielberg.

They surely have the know-how to make this work.

If they´re going to focus more on the story,and in particular,in is deep psychological side,then of course you´d need someone like Lynch or Nolan to direct it.

But i hope that whoever directs it takes the Robert Rodriguez approach and just shoots it panel by panel as is in the comic.

There´s a french director called Christophe Gans who made one of the best and most faithful adaptations of a comicbook ever (Crying Freeman) that could be very good for this movie,but somehow i don´t see WB letting him direct it...

fistofkhonshu · 12-19-2005, 11:10 AM

I think the effects are up to par right now, just let Weta Digital do it. It should be a twelve part mini series on HBO or Showtime, 12 two hour movies. I know thats a lot to ask for but its the only way to do the story justice. Though I'd settle for a four hour mini.

golgoth · 12-19-2005, 11:25 AM

I know it's a stretch, but this really needs to be at least 3 hours long or more than one movie. And they really need to chose wisely on directors, this could be as good as Sin City or it could be a bigger disaster than Catwoman, I'm hoping for the former.

Thutmose V · 12-19-2005, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Kha_O
Moore has stated on more than one occasion that he hates not only movie adaptations, but movies in general.

Why does a movie need to be made of this? Watchmen is the epitome of the comics medium... why even attempt to transfer it over to another medium?

There hasn't been a comics attempt at Citizen Kane... that 2001: A Space Odyssey adaptation that Marvel did was painfully bad...

Lynch doing a comic book movie? What's that line about monkey's flying out of someone's ass...

aRGH; If I hear one more time that Watchmen is the best comic ever, im going to puke.

It's superheroes. Men in tights.
There is plenty of other material that is just as sophisticated and more mature.
Better as well - tough I'd never proclaim another work as best ever (like the whole industry is doing since years)
I'm not as anal as that

Marchie77 · 12-19-2005, 11:27 AM

Boooo to a movie....

if it HAS to be done, make it a miniseries

User Name · 12-19-2005, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by algertman
By the time this movie gets made it will be released on 100th anniversary of Watchmen

By the time the movie gets made Alan Moore will be dead and we won't have to worry about his opinion on the movie.

lobocomics · 12-19-2005, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by SouthtownKid
I agree. The comic is already perfect as is. I love movies, but it's as if people think Watchmen will gain some kind of legitimacy or something by becoming a film. It won't. It will become a watered down, dumbed down waste of time that only vaguely resembles the original, like the movie versions of League of Extrordinary Gentlemen or From Hell.

Taking something like Batman, which has already been through a hundred interpretations with a thousand creators, and making a huge Summer movie, is one thing. Taking something unique like Ghost World, and turning it into a smaller, more personal movie, is possible. But taking something unique like Watchmen and trying to make a huge Summer movie out of it will be a disaster.

I have to agree to some extent... for some reason.... I don´t think Watchmen will work as a 2 or 3 hours movie.. I think the work is so meticulous and detailed.... that anything you put or take would only ruin it.... It would have to be done a la SIN CITy, and translate panel by panel, word by word from the page to the screen.... and I am not too sure it will fit on a movie... It is a giant endeavor... and unless you have someone comited, serious, and respectful of the comics... it will be a disapointment.... a very BIIIG Disapontmet.

However... it would be great to see Rorshach saying "You don´t get it...I am not locked in here with you-----You are locked in here with me" on the big screen... realy cool.

Pack · 12-19-2005, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Kha_O
Moore has stated on more than one occasion that he hates not only movie adaptations, but movies in general.

Why does a movie need to be made of this? Watchmen is the epitome of the comics medium... why even attempt to transfer it over to another medium?

Well, why not? It's already been pointed out in other discussions on similar topics that if the adaptation is brilliant, awful or mediocre, the source material will stand unchanged. Anyone who wants to read "Watchmen" as it was originally created will be able to do so.
If you, or anyone else, doesn't want to see an adaptation of it, it's pretty easy to avoid. But Hollywood must already make dozens of movies a year you don't want to see, so why do you care if they make one more?
Just because you and Alan Moore don't want to see a Watchmen film doesn't mean a lot of other people wouldn't like to see one.
I also find it a little odd to hear this argument applied to this subject since the Watchmen story was created by adapting the Charlton characters into a new form.

DerecDonovan · 12-19-2005, 03:40 PM

IF it had to be done, Terry Gilliam,David Lynch, or David Fincher should Direct and it should be done as an HBO Mini series ala Band of Brothers- 12 episodes 1 hour Long then Collected in a Nice Box with the Smiley Face and Blood on the side. Cast Should ALL be unknowns and the shooting Script should Be the Graphic Novel,

D-

Lee Grice · 12-19-2005, 03:48 PM

I was firmly in the 'Say NO to a Watchmen movie' camp, but reading Greengrass talk about his vision of the project at www.CHUD.com completely changed my mind and I felt that it had the potential to be a superb movie.

At the moment I feel that if a Watchmen movie is to be made then Greengrass must be at the helm.

kalorama · 12-19-2005, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SouthtownKid
I agree. The comic is already perfect as is. I love movies, but it's as if people think Watchmen will gain some kind of legitimacy or something by becoming a film. It won't. It will become a watered down, dumbed down waste of time that only vaguely resembles the original, like the movie versions of League of Extrordinary Gentlemen or From Hell.

Taking something like Batman, which has already been through a hundred interpretations with a thousand creators, and making a huge Summer movie, is one thing. Taking something unique like Ghost World, and turning it into a smaller, more personal movie, is possible. But taking something unique like Watchmen and trying to make a huge Summer movie out of it will be a disaster.

Even if that's true ... so what? A disastrous Watchman movie has no impact whatsoever on the quality or legitimacy of the book. They're two separate and distinct entities.

People who are convinced that no Watchmen movie will ever live up to the book always have the option of not seeing the movie and letting the book remain pristine in their minds. Others are interested in seeing what Hollywood can do with the material. If they fail, they fail. Won't be the first time, nor the last. The practical impact of the proposed movie's hypothetical failure (or hypothetical success ) on the comic book will be nonexistent in any case.

hork · 12-19-2005, 04:09 PM

Quote:

It would have to be done a la SIN CITy, and translate panel by panel, word by word from the page to the screen.... and I am not too sure it will fit on a movie...

Quote:

the shooting Script should Be the Graphic Novel

This is why comic geeks shouldn't go anywhere near this movie.

Here's a thought: why don't you just videotape each panel of the comic, add your own soundtrack with your friends doing the voices, and voila, you've got your own ideal, custom-made Watchmen movie.

Supreme Convoy · 12-19-2005, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Kha_O
Moore has stated on more than one occasion that he hates not only movie adaptations, but movies in general.

Huh, I didn't know he hates movies in general. I just knew he doesn't want to associated with apdaptations of his work.

In anycase, I'm down for a Watchmen movie. From what I heard of the Hayter script, I'd love to see it.

Jim Elliott · 12-19-2005, 04:41 PM

I'm glad to hear that a Watchmen project is possible.

The best that could be done, in my opinion, would be a mini-series of at least 12 one hour segments shown on HBO or it's ilk. Even a three hour movie is much to short for this project.

The project should be done as faithfully to the comic as possible a la a shot for panel technique used by Rodriguez with Sin City. The effects people form King Kong should be used. A director who knows and respects the source material should be used; e.g. the director should have the knowledge and respect for the Watchmen comics that Rodriguez had for the Sin City comics.

The pirate story could be told as an animated tale and the extra material at the end of each chapter could be included in the DVD box set and/or put out in some way for example Hollis Mason on a television talk show promoting his book or Milton Glass on Meet the Press discussing Dr. Manhattan.