• MTV interview director Zack Snyder on set in this clip, which shows Studio 54 from Watchmen's beginning. I'd say the most noteworthy thing is how many copies of the graphic novel are there on set—it's practically the shooting script.
• Pics from the Watchmen videogame have popped up, and I think all of us nerds feel pretty awkward about it. I mean, this is exactly the sort of thing Alan Moore was worried about, although technically it shouldn't affect the movie for good or ill. In case you don't remember, the game is about Rorschach and Nite Owl beating up bad guys in the '70s, before the Keene Act. God only knows what the story will be.
• Snyder also got interviewed by Empire Online, where he said the film is 2 1/2 hours, there'll be a 3 hour director's cut for DVD, and then the Tales of the Black Freighter cartoon will be another 1/2. Of course, GiantAlienSquidGate was brought up.
Secondly, and more spoileriffically, there has been a change to the book's "squid ending", as one questioner put it. Snyder was asked what he has against squid, and had this to say: "Well, I had a horrible calamari incident as a child."
[Hyuk hyuk! -Ed.]
But seriously, folks. "I have nothing against it. But the squid represents something that would have had to have been illuminated through extra story. We would have had to sacrifice character to story and character is more important to me."
What they've come up with, said Watchmen co-creator Dave Gibbons, is something that is true to "the tone, the moral ambiguity of the book". Just not involving, y'know, big squidy-looking things. And in any case Gibbons says, "It's not a squid; it's a fifth-dimensional cephalopod". So there.
I can't help but think that the "extra story" he's referring to is Ozy's island of geniuses, as that's pretty much all that's needed to set up the Squid—so my bet is all of that has been cut out. Now, feel free to freak the fuck out in the comments—it's what we nerds do, after all—but for me, it's all going to depend on if the new ending works, and in the same way. Gibbons likes it, and while he's not Alan Moore, he's not exactly an idiot either. Hmm...
23 comments
Comments
cummins said:
Well, I sound like a broken record at this point, but removing the "fifth-dimensional cephalopod" is definitely going to through story and character points out of whack. I'm not interested in the rumored framing of Manhattan (is he going to be framed for giving those around him cancer and also for blowing up cities now?)
It's a house of cards Snyder is working with here, so I hope things work out. As for Gibbons and the videogame, well, dude has worked hard, so it seems like he may just like the attention now. And the cash probably ain't bad either.
ian m said:
I don't see how they could avoid having a backstory about Veidt's plan because it is necessary for the Comedian to discover it and Veidt to kill him.
Despite the made up story line for the Watchmen video game, I still think it might be kinda cool. Don't you think it would be fun to fly the Owlship around? (assuming you will be able to which I hope you can, punching people looks like it would get boring after a while)
Pijas locas said:
So we cut the island of geniuses out,meaning we cut the comedian finding out about it,meaning there is no reason to kill the comedian in the first place!
Why not turn it another notch,and have him alive and kicking with rest of the crew then?It'd make more sense and it'd be really awesome to have him kick ass with the rest of the crew!
Hell,that way we shouldnt have to bear Rorscharch slow painful monologues while he investigates the trail,now the comedian could himself summon him to help him bring Ozy down!
manobon said:
Well... I mean, I liked V for Vendetta's 'altered take' (I actually thought it was a little less... 'laboured'- I included the u to make that extra pretentious), so I think I'm going to be just fine with the non-squid ending...
Provided that they show a new reason as to why the Comedian was killed- otherwise, yeah, that Would be really annoying.
And the videogame...uhys, I Know it's going to be fun, but it really is exactly like making "Watchmen Babies" (oh, Milhouse).
davelog said:
Why even bother with the Black Freighter then? No other-dimensional beastie means no island of artists, and apart from being something the kid by the newsstand was reading, BF's only real contribution was as an example of one of those sequestered artists' work.
CTrees said:
Grr. I'm assuming they'll just have the Comedian find out about Ozy's new plan. I'm still holding my breath about fifth dimensional cephalopod-gate, because it *could* be resolved well (then again, I'm still watching Heroes...), and the removal of the Ozy's island, as said, removes the comic book, which works in a graphic novel, but I'm pretty sure that wouldn't add much to the movie. We will see.
Also, Rorschach is *way* too tall in the video game. He had boots with lifts, but those would be *insanely* tall shoes, which just doesn't work.
B.E. said:
I think Snyder wants the plot tighter character-wise. Yes, cutting out the island of misfit geniuses does mean you can have more time to focus on the main characters, I guess. But it also removes a lot of the genius of Ozy's plan. All the planning, all the nefarious-ness-es...es.
By making Manhattan "I don't care about humanity, I'm goin' to Mars" the perceived villian, his 'downfall' can be seen to be more tragic, in a way. Now he HAS to go to Mars or basically destroy humanity because they'll all be on his ass now. Not that they'd be able to do anything to him. So basicallly they've made Dr. Manhattan the Hulk, in a way.
I still like my squid.
As for the video game--look, it was bound to happen. You have to monetize properties or else these things don't get made. It's kind of like going to a relative's house whose food you don't like--you can complain about the mushy spaghetti or you can find the sauce edible, y'know?
Bill said:
Does any of this really matter? If Fox gets their way, this movie will be so tangled up in red tape, we'll be lucky to see it any time soon.
McCarthy said:
Fuck...Zack...Snyder. That's really what I'm trying to say, basically. The announcement of this movie had me so excited, the first trailer was stellar, and the first batch of character posters based on original promotional art was awesome. Everything since then is a downward spiral. If the squid isn't going to be included, fine, I'll accept that. I don't like it, but I'll accept it. To remove the complexity of Veidt's plan though, and thus destroy a lot of back story such as why the Comedian gets killed in the first place, is just ridiculous. There's time for a Batman-For-fuckin-ever-esque fight in the prison break scene, a fight that's been completely fabricated by Snyder, but there's no time to explain the preparations setting up Veidt's Armageddon plan? And how is devastating multiple cities around the globe morally ambiguous? Wasn't the point of taking out New York to SAVE multiple cities around the globe? Wouldn't exploding the shit out of various world capitals be very similar to the effects of the war that Ozy was trying to prevent? Morally ambiguous was destroying a little to save a lot, an evil committed in favor of the greater good. This new plan is destroying a lot to save a little, which compromises not only the integrity of the plan, but the integrity of Ozmandias' character. No, it doesn't even compromise it, it flat-out destroys it. I guess Hollywood needs a villain in the film, and if Ozy's plan made any god-damn sense they wouldn't have one, so they turned the whole thing completely fucking batshit insane. So far in my life, Godzilla 2000 and House of 1,000 Corpses are the only two movies I've ever come close to walking out of, but I can already see the potential for Watchmen to send me over the edge. Fuck.
turnidoff said:
This just in: Zack the Hack plans to RE-remake “Lord of the Rings” and wants to remove anything associated with the “one ring” and replace the film with more character development.
Kurono-K said:
I AM SO MUCH PRO SNYDER.
Just saying.
Anywho, a fucking game, really?
FUCKING REALLY?
Frito said:
@dave
The Black Freighter is more important than just something the kid read. It is an ongoing story that mirrors the greater story of Watchmen. The story of a man doing terrible things to save his family from the Black Freighter only to have himself be the target all along; it is a definite parallel.
As for the squid and movie. I always planned on going to the movie dressed as a Keene Act protester. I planned on a sign that read "No More Masks", but I think now I am going with "No Squid No Peace". True believers keep up the good fight.
Wyngarde said:
Who are we fooling? We know this is going to be empty. Zack 'The Hack' likes to looks at the pictures. He can't read. He never learned how to.
So he's removed the clues leading to the 'whodunit' moment, the ending, which is the point of this one-shot story. (Sorry, if he goes with a nuclear bomb, then it would just be something to blame on the Russians, if he has not removed that as well...)
The squid makes such an other worldly event that it forces all of humanity to unite and understand that they are all on one planet together and that there's life out there, forcing people to change their way of thinking.
But now that's all gone, I guess we have left he one thing Zack 'The Hack' is good at: Large crowds of people running and screaming.
Please Fox, keep this film in development hell forever.
Friginator said:
I SOOOOOOO called it. I've been against this imminent piece of shit from the beginning, and Rob has managed to sum up all of my vindication in one post. Congrats, Snyder. Way to prove me right, douchebag! At least now I know that I'm not completely insane now. Epic Fail. Epic Fucking Fail.
la yepublique du poisson said:
Here's a rundown of how watchmen is being developed:
http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/615/makingofwatchmenni0.jpg
mkokc said:
The previews had given me so much hope. It looked like this was going to be a letter-perfect adaptation to the original. The funeral scene, the Owlship coming up from the water, Rorsach in the rain.
Basically, Snyder is saying "I've done it all the same, well, um, except for the end."
DAMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN.
For a second, I actually thought this would be the movie Alan Moore would actually watch.
What is this so hard?
Friginator said:
@la yepublique du poisson
I'm sure it would be hilarious if the text was readable.
la yepublique du poisson said:
@ Friginator
Oops!My bad!
Here's the original url
http://fc65.deviantart.com/fs38/f/2008/323/4/7/Making_of_watchmen_by_El_Gostro.jpg
Friginator said:
@la yepublique du poisson
Cool. Thanks. Now every time I think of Zack Snyder, I'll think of him talking about "buff, hard chiseled manly pecs." Eugh.
Phil Samborl said:
The only thing taking the squid out of the film ruins is any metaphor the squid itself might have represented. I try not to read too much about the movie so that I can see it fresh, but it seems like people are suggesting either a nuclear bomb or a Manhattan-framing as the alternative, and if that really is the case then yes, a terrible decision was made. I don't see the reason to change it in the first place, but as long as the squid replacement works as a catalyst in the same way, I don't care too terribly much what it is. I can't think of anything besides an alien threat that works properly, but even working within just that range offers up some choices that would be just fine. I will miss Ozy's island if they take that out, but it certainly isn't the only way that The Comedian has to find out about Veidt's plan. It's just more complexity that makes the book wonderful, but ultimately isn't necessary to tell the story.
I was more weirded out by The Comedian's dialogue in the newer trailer when his home is invaded. That and showing Veidt's silhouette. Neither of those are astonishing since it seems like a necessary change for the medium (pacing and perspective issues) but it caught me off guard.
I don't think it would be as wonderful as people might imagine if there was an actual shot for panel filming of the book. It would be ungodly long and would only appeal to a select few of us, and short of some miracle grant money from closet watchmen fan, Warren Buffet, you're not going to get funding to make that movie.
All Snyder has to do to keep me happy is tell as much of the story as possible and don't change a thing about any of the characters and their relation to each other.
OM said:
...You know, when it comes to marketing Watchmen, I say screw Alan Moore. The guy's ego has gotten way too far out of hand, and if placating his attitude means not having a really good video game, or some really cool action figures - like the ones he caused to be cancelled back in 1989 - then to hell with Alan Moore. Which is why I hope this film really is a hit, and Dave Gibbons makes all the money Moore threw away.
Friginator said:
Actually, Alan Moore WOULD get royalties for the movie, but he GAVE them to Dave Gibbons. He also requested his name be removed from the credits. What makes you think he has a big ego? He's a recluse, meaning he chooses NOT to talk about the movie. Also, he NEVER "cancelled" any video game or toy line, except the fairly recent anniversary figures that DC scrapped.
Jaburo Base said:
I wonder if the videogame will have a level with Captain Carnage, where he chases heroes around saying, "Punish me! Punish me!"
