Watchmen

[Mifune]

Who Watches the Watchmen?

Synopsis

A complex, multi-layered mystery adventure, Watchmen is set in an alternate 1985 America in which costumed superheroes are part of the fabric of everyday society, and the “Doomsday Clock” – which charts the USA’s tension with the Soviet Union – is permanently set at five minutes to midnight. When one of his former colleagues is murdered, the washed up but no less determined masked vigilante Rorschach sets out to uncover a plot to kill and discredit all past and present superheroes. As he reconnects with his former crime-fighting legion – a ragtag group of retired superheroes, only one of whom has true powers – Rorschach glimpses a wide-ranging and disturbing conspiracy with links to their shared past and catastrophic consequences for the future. Their mission is to watch over humanity…but who is watching the watchmen?

The film based on the graphic novel is being directed by Zack Snyder (300) and produced by Lawrence Gordon (Die Hard), Lloyd Levin (United 93) and Deborah Snyder (300), with Herbert W. Gains serving as executive producer.

Playing the film’s core group of “masks,” the masked adventurers at the center of the story, are Malin Akerman (upcoming The Heartbreak Kid) as Laurie Juspeczyk, aka Silk Spectre; Billy Crudup (The Good Shepherd) as Jon Osterman, aka Dr. Manhattan; Matthew Goode (Match Point) as Adrian Veidt, aka Ozymandias; Jackie Earle Haley (Little Children) as Walter Kovacs, aka Rorschach; Jeffrey Dean Morgan (TV’s Grey’s Anatomy) as Edward Blake, aka the Comedian; and Patrick Wilson (Little Children) as Dan Dreiberg, aka Nite Owl.

Watchmen was originally published by DC comics as a 12-comic book series between 1986 and 1987, before subsequently being collected into a trade paperback. It is the only graphic novel to win the prestigious Hugo Award or to be named among Time magazine’s “100 Best English Language Novels from 1923 to the Present.”

So I've been waiting for this movie for forever and a day and a half. From what I've seen (mostly pictures and statues in the Diamond Preview) it looks pretty good though I'll have to save any real judgment till I've at least see the official trailer. But I'm sure the movie will be great, after all this is a great era for comic book movies so long as you aren't too anal about them following the source material.

Comedian (Left) and Rorschach (Right).

[Shmi]

And as long as you don't let Uwe Boll anywhere near them.

But seriously, this movie better kick ass.

[TheMightyBoosh]

I think it depends on how you took the adaption of The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen, which personally I quite liked but don't consider to be the same thing the graphic novel.

I had more a of a problem processing V for Vendetta though, while LoG managed to keep its pastiche of victorian literary characters, The adaption of VfV changed some of the fundamental issues the graphic novel was designed to contest. (So, yeah I'm kinda anal about this. I don't see why we should have to put up with adaption decay)

I just hope they keep the morals and characterisations. They need to keep the film as gritty as the original Graphic Novel. To hell with the censors, if Rorshach doesn't explain how he became the 'hero' he is intact with tearing up those german shephards, trapping their owner in a burning building with only a hacksaw to cut through his hand to escape, It just wont be Watchmen.

[Mifune]

Hmm...I can see why you had a problem with VfV though you have to remember without those changes it wouldn't survive as a movie. Yes the fans would absolutely love the movie but that only makes up a small demographic.

However I will say that Watchmen better not be more changed than VfV was. I know they can't be accurate (how can they work the pirate comic into the movie?) but they don't need to change it nearly as much as LoEG. Just don't expect Dr. Manhattan running around in the nude.

[ArtisticMystic]

I don't know much of Alan Moore's work except for "Batman: The Killing Joke", "Watchmen" and "V For Vendetta". I DO know that he has decided to remove his name from the movie credits, because he hasn't been satisfied with any of the filmed adaptions. "From Hell" and "League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" included.

[SymbolicPoetry]

So I saw the trailer for Watchmen before TDK (as did everyone ELSE...) and I thought it looks amazing. The costumes are a bit changed from what I can see, but Doctor Manhattan looks perfect. The Comedian looks perfect. Rorschach looks perfect. I'm pretty impressed so far. And having The Smashing Pumpkins doing the song? Faaaaabulous.

I'm hopeful, but still skeptical.

[Darkshine]

The Smashing Pumpkins did that song for the Batman and Robin soundtrack (as horrible as that may be), but it fits so much better with this trailer and the mood that it was setting than it ever did for that travesty of a batman movie. I think this movie is going to be amazing

[kospowinc]

i think visually, they nailed it.  as far as story goes though, i haven't heard a single word about what has been kept and what was discarded.  i'm pretty sure the pirate comic is out.  there will be a few flashbacks, i'm guessing from some of the pics i've seen of the older costumes, or maybe that was for the older group shots...   

has anyone seen a running time on this?

[andusir06]

I love the graphic novel but what I'm most looking forward to is Rorschach.

[Maeslin]

I love the graphic novel but what I'm most looking forward to is Rorschach.

http://splashpage.mtv.com/2008/11/10/exclusive-new-watchmen-poster-released-and-splash-page-has-the-first-look








... oh my.   

[SymbolicPoetry]

Sexy!

Augh, so excited!

[Darkshine]

Wow she looks hot..

[SymbolicPoetry]

Full trailer, not a teaser.

http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1808406490/video

SO EXCITED.

Dunno how long that's been out.

[OrcishIncubus]

Full trailer, not a teaser.

http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1808406490/video

SO EXCITED.

Dunno how long that's been out.

Nov 13

[SymbolicPoetry]

Full trailer, not a teaser.

http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1808406490/video

SO EXCITED.

Dunno how long that's been out.

Nov 13

Pfft, gotta go steal my thunder!

In my defense, no one posted it here! D: But they SHOULD HAVE! I blame everyone other than myself.

It does look neat, though. But I remain nervous. Until I actually see it, I'm cautious about getting my hopes up.