Dave Gibbons Talks Watchmen! (movie, that is)

[Captain Carnage]

For the sake of completism and in the wake of the unveiling of his newly commissioned movie tie-in art at Comic Con, in a recent interview for Wizard magazine:

http://www.wizarduniverse.com/magazine/wizard/005126294.cfm

...co-creator Mr G himself gives his views on the subject of realizing arguably his most famous work up on the big old silver screen -

So, about that “Watchmen” movie…are you excited?

GIBBONS: I am excited about it. I always respond to enthusiasm. Having had some conversations with Zack Snyder, I’m bowled over by his enthusiasm. I suppose the basic question is: Is a “Watchmen” movie a good idea? That’s an imponderable question, but I do think Zack has got the ability to make a really good movie, and I think Watchmen has the ability to be a really good movie, and hopefully the two things will come together. I’m basically supporting it, and I’ve done little bits of work to do with the movie. Realistically speaking, I think it’s a good script. Anything that’s a movie version of a comic book, there’s going to be compromise. I’m optimistic about it, and obviously I wish it well. I hope it will be good. I’ve got a feeling it will be.

Couple o' points in there caught my eye, obviously.

I leave it entirely in your hands.

 

[dchisholm]

"REALISTICALLY speaking, i THINK it's a good script."???

hmmm.....



...













i don't know...

 

[Johnichi Chiba]

"Realistically speaking, I think it’s a good script. Anything that’s a movie version of a comic book, there’s going to be compromise."

 

[Superhobo]

I still think it would've been a better idea to just get Terry Gilliam to do an HBO miniseries.

 

[Compi716]

"Realistically speaking, I think it’s a good script. Anything that’s a movie version of a comic book, there’s going to be compromise."

Blech...

 

[ThatDamnNinja]

Why are you guys reacting like this? We've known that there was going to be compromise. We've known that the ending was changed. This is not news.

 

[Gilpesh]

It's news that Dave Gibbons is bending over for hollywood.

 

[Johnichi Chiba]

Why are you guys reacting like this? We've known that there was going to be compromise. We've known that the ending was changed. This is not news.

Its not so much that. Its just it doesn't sound like much of a reaction from Dave Gibbons. If that was the best he could say about the script, then it doesn't sound so good. It just sounds like he's saying its not a very good script, but in as nice a way as he can put it.

 

[ThatDamnNinja]

Its not so much that. Its just it doesn't sound like much of a reaction from Dave Gibbons. If that was the best he could say about the script, then it doesn't sound so good. It just sounds like he's saying its not a very good script, but in as nice a way as he can put it.

I hope it's because he's disappointed about the changed ending and nothing more... I mean, honestly, the comic is already a script in itself, basically. If they're going to change the ending, well, it pisses me off, but fine... but the rest of it... just take the dialogue straight from the comic. There's no reason not to.

Zack seems pretty committed... maybe I'm naive and idealistic, but I think it's realistic that Dave is just disappointed with the ending, and that the rest is pretty much straight from the book.

 

[tdeverea]

I haven't had the pleasure of reading "Watchmen" yet... How does the novel and the movie ending differ?

 

[Crook]

Its not so much that. Its just it doesn't sound like much of a reaction from Dave Gibbons. If that was the best he could say about the script, then it doesn't sound so good. It just sounds like he's saying its not a very good script, but in as nice a way as he can put it.

I don't see how you can get pessimistic from that entire answer. He was basically praising Snyder in every other sentence.

And there ARE compromises whenever you translate books to film. That's just pure fact, so I don't see how you can gather any negative connotations from that particular statement.

 

[Compi716]

I haven't had the pleasure of reading "Watchmen" yet... How does the novel and the movie ending differ?

I'm sorry, but I can't tell you that until you read it.

But let me put it this way: the comic's is MUCH better and more intricate.

 

[Steelsheen]

where are we getting the news that the ending changed?

 

[Rust]

where are we getting the news that the ending changed?

Yeah, I haven't read it anywhere yet either. Has Snyder said that they're still using Tse's draft or a modified version cause it sounds like they're going to be quite loyal to just about averything in the story? I'm asking sincerely...?

 

[Shifty]

Yeah, I haven't read it anywhere yet either. Has Snyder said that they're still using Tse's draft or a modified version cause it sounds like they're going to be quite loyal to just about averything in the story? I'm asking sincerely...?

Snyder told AICN that he's doing another rewrite before filming starts Sept 17.

 

[Gilpesh]

Snyder told AICN that he's doing another rewrite before filming starts Sept 17.

It might be an entirely different crew and movie studio. But fans were given that line about X3...

We know how that turned out

 

[Captain Carnage]

Wouldn't it be great if that rewrite was as a result of all the crap that he's been gettin' here and elsewhere... that the message has finally sunk in that he screws with Watchmen at his peril and so is reining it in accordingly. Hey, who knows - Veidt Lives?


Yeah, wouldn't that be great...

 

[Gilpesh]

Veidt lives?

Oh god no... shades of grey in a mainstream movie! I can't take it! Oh my god my head is going to explode!

Oh wait. No it isn't.

 

[sad lieutenant]

It's news that Dave Gibbons is bending over for hollywood.

It sounds like he's not so much "bending over" as he is "yawning and gingerly extending his hand to receive a paycheck".

 

[Figs]

It sounds like he's not so much "bending over" as he is "yawning and gingerly extending his hand to receive a paycheck".

I don't see why people have to give him ****. I am at work and can't remember what company the book is under. Whoever it is, don't they have the rights to let it be made into a film. Not Moore or Gibbons, they can only have their names removed from it if they want. It's basically out of both of thier hands and Gibbons seems to me like he is sorta wishing it the best of luck. He can't force anyone to keep the ending or anything else the same so it's pointless for him to complain. Especially in that statement he realizes that books and film are two different mediums.

 

[Captain Carnage]

This is now.


And THIS was then:

In an early interview with Entertainment Weekly's Ken Tucker, Watchmen artist Dave Gibbons said that he thought the time had passed to make a Watchmen movie. At the time, Darren Aronofsky was expressing interest in directing the film under Paramount Pictures. Nevertheless, Gibbons said, "It was most likely to happen when Batman was a big success, but then that window was lost." Gibbons also told Neon, "In a way, I'm glad because it wouldn't have been up to the book."

 

[logansoldcigar]

you are naturally a pessimist aint ya, a true "glass is half full " kind of guy?

is it possible that he has changed his mind now because he sees where Snyder wants to take it and likes the direction its heading in (after all, Gibbons could just keep his mouth shut and take his paycheck), he doesnt have to praise it if he doesnt like it. Maybe Gibbons didnt like Aranovsky's vision for it?

maybe, shock horror, the co-creator likes it.
maybe Moore actually likes it, but wont say so

maybe Snyder is gonna nail it.

me, i dont like the idea of veidt dieing. but it may not be the case that he is. The Tse draft that most people work from was Nov 2006. Snyder wasnt confirmed for Watchmen then. he is now. Who knows what changes he has made to Tse's scrip[t since he was confirmed

 

[Captain Carnage]

Maybe.

Maybe not.

And Snyder was confirmed by Warner Bros for Watchmen on June 23 2006. He brought Tse on board the project himself.

And the draft that most people work from is Tse's first from summer 2006 which is widely available online.

Which he then rewrote at Snyder's request and dated November 10 2006 upon completion. About the time that Snyder was announcing that he'd turned in his draft to the studio in order to win his greenlight. And which is not widely available - try looking. And which returns the setting to the 1985 that Snyder uses as a major selling point for the fans.

And which still sucks - renamed Minutemen, Rorschach's dialogue (among others) largely rewritten, no alien, Veidt killed by Dan an' all...

You BET I'm pessimistic.


Just sayin'.

 

[donk70]

I wonder what that non-conformist Allan Moore thinks.

He's against any of his creations coming to the silver screen.

 

[Johnichi Chiba]

I wonder what that non-conformist Allan Moore thinks.

He's against any of his creations coming to the silver screen.

He's stated a million times that he doesn't want anything to do with the film adaptations of his works. Even if Watchmen turns out unbelievably amazing, he won't care. I think it has a lot to do with personal reasons more than anything else.