Watchmen Movie

[Jakew]

[MOD EDIT] Merged 3 other Watchmen related topics to create one central thread. Enjoy. [/MOD EDIT]

Confirmed Watchmen Casting
By Rafe Telsch: 2007-07-25 19:57:49 


After weeks of speculation and months of mindless rumors, it's finally official: Watchmen has a cast. Both of the major Hollywood rags are reporting what's been all but confirmed by websites over the last few weeks, making this Watchmen story the first completely official thing since the project got picked back up from abandonment a few years ago.

Jeffrey Dean Morgan has been confirmed as The Comedian, the former masked crime-fighter whose murder initiates the story.

Jackie Earle Haley has been confirmed for Rorschach, the vigilante who ignores the ban on costumed characters and continues to fight crime, leading to his discovery of the threat against masked characters, which is essentially the starting point for Watchmen's story.

Billy Crudup has been confirmed as Dr. Manhattan, the single super-powered member of the story. Due to a scientific accident, Manhattan has the ability to control matter on a molecular level, among other super-powers, but suffers from reduced humanity.

Malin Akerman has been confirmed as Laurie Juspeczyk, aka The Silk Spectre. Not only a former mask, Laurie is in a rapidly unwinding relationship with Dr. Manhattan.

Patrick Wilson has been confirmed for Dan Dreiberg, aka The Nite-Owl (we knew this yesterday), a masked character who flies around in an owl themed ship. He is the character Laurie turns to as her relationship with Dr. Manhattan deteriorates.

Finally, Matthew Goode, and not Jue Law, has been confirmed as Adrien Veidt, aka Ozymandias, a billionaire who turns to more philanthropic pursuits after the ban on masks goes into effect.

Expect more news to come from Comic-Con, where, frankly, I expect they'll probably haul a lot of these actors out for the first time, together.

Shooting on The Watchmen will begin in the fall.

[BentonGrey]

Hmm....seems like a pretty solid cast...although I don't think the Silk Spectre looks the part...then again, neither does Nite-Owl, he seems much too put together.

[Jakew]

If Ozymandias sticks to the graphic novel, Matthew Goode will be excellent ... watch Match Point, the dude can ACT.

The only one I'm not sure of is Jeffrey Dean Morgan. He looks like The Comedian, but ... wasn't he the dying guy in Grey's Anatomy? I absolutely hate that show, perhaps to the extent where it'll distract me during Watchmen.

Otherwise, a nice selection of great actors who aren't big 'names'.

[zuludelta]

I just don't see Watchmen making a good 2 to 3 hour film... a high budget mini-series sort of like HBO's Rome, maybe... it's just that the source material is so packed with information that I think a lot of the little details and nuances that made Watchmen much more than a typical "mature readers" comic book might be lost in the translation to film.

[psychopanda]

Thank the divine spaghetti monster they didn't use Keanu Reeves as Dr. Manhattan!!!  :thumbup:

[BentonGrey]

I just don't see Watchmen making a good 2 to 3 hour film... a high budget mini-series sort of like HBO's Rome, maybe... it's just that the source material is so packed with information that I think a lot of the little details and nuances that made Watchmen much more than a typical "mature readers" comic book might be lost in the translation to film.

My fears exactly.

[GhostMachine]

Thank the divine spaghetti monster they didn't use Keanu Reeves as Dr. Manhattan!!!  :thumbup:

Agreed. Because that would only have worked if they had signed Alex Winter as Ozymandias, George Carlin as the Comedian, and Patrick Swayze as Nite Owl.  :P

[MJB]

This cast is shaping up nicely. No "big" named stars that will drive the script into the dirt. I hope Snyder can pull it off.

-MJB

[psychopanda]

Thank the divine spaghetti monster they didn't use Keanu Reeves as Dr. Manhattan!!!  :thumbup:

Agreed. Because that would only have worked if they had signed Alex Winter as Ozymandias, George Carlin as the Comedian, and Patrick Swayze as Nite Owl.  :P

and Mel Brooks directing. "Watchmen! the Musical!" ;)

[Jakew]

Watchmen pics from the set:

http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Watchmen-Set-Photos-6847.html

[ow_tiobe_sb]

I'll third zuludelta's and BentonGrey's fears.  This series was far too grand a piece of postmodern literature to be forced to suffer the blockbuster Hollywood treatment.  At least break the story up into several detail-rich installments instead of condensing it into an impoverished single sitting.

ow_tiobe_sb
Phantom Bunburyist and The Prat in the Hat

[Ajax]

An HBO miniseries would be the best case scenario for Watchmen. Oh well. I can always hope everything works out.

[Jakew]

Max Headroom is playing Moloch

http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Matt-Frewer-Faces-Off-With-The-Watchmen-6919.html

Good choice.

[Mr. Hamrick]

i don't have a problem with the casting.

as for the fears of some of you. 

I believe the movie will be focusing largely on the comic portion with the prose portion woven in where possible.  (my paraphrasing what was said)  In addition, there are plans to do at least one short film in conjunction with Watchmen that will be made available with the DVD.

[BWPS]

Carrot Top didn't get Rorschach?

Outrage!

[Jakew]

http://www.cinemablend.com/new/A-Flaming-First-Pic-From-Watchmen-7895.html

:thumbup:

[Figure Fan]

*drools*

*faints*

Beautiful

[BentonGrey]

That looks darn good.  Man, Rorschach is awesome.

[Jakew]

Despite the fact that I know Watchmen is going to be incredibly hard to do well as a film, seeing pics like this still gives me tingles.

[Gremlin]

Yaaaaay. :wub:

[BWPS]

Have there been any decisions made on the ratio of screen time to blue penis? Will it be 3:1 like in the book?

[Figure Fan]

Have there been any decisions made on the ratio of screen time to blue penis? Will it be 3:1 like in the book?

LOL? Has that word ever been used at FR? Too funny..

As for the adaptation--I don't expect this movie to be just like the book. In fact, I hope it's somewhat different. If I wanted the book, I'd just read the book.

*Looks at Absolute Watchmen on top of desk* *Smiles*

[bredon7777]

Have there been any decisions made on the ratio of screen time to blue penis? Will it be 3:1 like in the book?

LOL? Has that word ever been used at FR? Too funny..

As for the adaptation--I don't expect this movie to be just like the book. In fact, I hope it's somewhat different. If I wanted the book, I'd just read the book.

*Looks at Absolute Watchmen on top of desk* *Smiles*

Heh. I'm just the opposite. If you want changes, write something original and direct that.

If you're adapting Watchmen, I expect to see as much of Watchmen on the screen as realistically possible; down to the point where I can freeze-frame the DVD, pull out my TP, and go- "Hey! There's the panel they got that shot from."

[Gremlin]

I agree with Figure Fan.  Watchmen's great, and interpreting it to the screen will still be great.  I like new stuff that's brilliant and innovative in new ways, not just rehashes of old brilliance.

[Sword]

So, do these costumes work for the diehard fans?

http://rss.warnerbros.com/watchmen/2008/03/one_year_to_go_1.html

[captainspud]

Oh, no. They're making a superhero movie. :(

Ozymandias doesn't wear spandex. He dresses in Greek Prince Formal.

*sigh*

[Boalt92]

I'm no die hard but....

they look too.....modern to me?

I only read the Watchmen once, back in college, so it was a while back, but I seem to remember being more "Pulp Fiction"-ish and less "spawn"-sh.

I read the Watchmen as a post-modern super hero deconstruction (does that make sense?) which took the shine and the luster out of the "golden" age comics.  Much like Clint Eastwood's spaghetti westerns -where good guys never wore white hats and bad guys never wore black hats - the Watchmen was more grimy, seedy, and "real" than the other comics (way more than Frank Miller's Dark Knight).  For example, Rorshach's costume should look like it came from a second-hand store.  Night Owl and Ozymandias, on the other hand, have way too much definition...they shouldn't have "muscles" (or abs of steel) built into the costume.

Don't get me wrong, they look flashy, but just a little to stylelized to me.

IMHO of course.  And, yes, I'll probably go and see it (just to see how they pull off the Alien "invasion").

B92

[BWPS]

I'm ok with everything except Ozymandis.

[El Condor]

The modernized costumes are a bit of pandering to a contemporary movie audience.  That's....ok with me, even if I'd be happier with the rougher look.  I agree that Night Owl and Ozy are way too shiny and "Gotham", but Rorschach and the Comedian are reasonably schlubby enough.  Silk Spectre's outfit is a little obscured, but it actually looks like the right amount of retro.

EC

[Uncle Yuan]

The modernized costumes are a bit of pandering to a contemporary movie audience.  That's....ok with me, even if I'd be happier with the rougher look.  I agree that Night Owl and Ozy are way too shiny and "Gotham", but Rorschach and the Comedian are reasonably schlubby enough.  Silk Spectre's outfit is a little obscured, but it actually looks like the right amount of retro.

EC

I'm tending to agree - the Comedian looks right on, but Ozymadius and the Owl are all wrong - I  mean, shouldn't the Owl be a little . . tubbier?