Snyder Reveals Script Revisions

[sad lieutenant]

In light of both the recently divulged casting calls and Snyder's seemingly insignificant tidbits divulged during interviews at Comic Con, we can speculate a bit about the most current draft of the Watchmen script. And while we are almost entirely in the dark on this subject, it can be argued that the final script will not resemble those that have been floating around online.

Speaking generally, given these minor revelations, we draw two preliminary (and almost opposite) conclusions:
1) Snyder and Tse are drawing from and creatively expanding upon the Watchmen universe. Moviehole has revealed that roles are being cast for John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Pat Buchanan, and Dick Cavett -- among others. None of these non-fictional characters make appearances in the original; none of these characters appear in the Hayter or Tse scripts that we've seen. Rather, these creative choices appear to reflect Snyder's vision of Watchmen has a powerful meta-commentary on popular culture (and on the history of popular cinema -- i.e. Rorschach as Travis Bickle, as Snyder added recently). Question: Will these inventions represent something frivolous and distracting, or will they help in translating the Watchmen into a coherent cinematic experience?

2) Snyder has brought back scenes from the original comics that had been cut from earlier scripts. Cue boners. I, for one (and I know I'm not alone on this), was disappointed that some pretty key scenes were omitted in the earlier Hayter and Tse scripts. Interview footage posted on the MTV Movies Blog/"Overdrive" sites include Snyder commenting on scenes for the movie that were not in earlier drafts -- but have clearly been re-inserted by Snyder and Tse, and will be filmed. Click on the link to MTV's site below, and watch the footage: Snyder states that he is currently working on the scene where Rorschach kills the child molestor. This scene was not included in any script I've read! He refers to this scene as a "fetish" scene: that is, scenes that, while not entirely essential to furthering the plot, are precious to Watchmen geeks and "make Watchmen what it is". Question: How many more of these "fetish" scenes have been re-inserted into the script?

For me, these clues signal that Snyder is going in the right direction. There are a lot more clues out there, especially since Comic Con (anyone else catch his instructions to Tse and production designers, in regarding the Watchmen comics as 2,000 year-old illuminated manuscripts?).

Anyone else want to do some sleuthing?

Sources:
http://www.moviehole.net/news/20070805_watchmen_resurrecting_some_leg.html
http://movies.ign.com/articles/809/809985p1.html
http://www.chud.com/index.php?type=interviews&id=11243
http://www.cinematical.com/2007/08/02/comic-con-watchmen-director-zack-snyder-talks-to-us-about-sta/
http://moviesblog.mtv.com/?s=snyder+watchmen

 

[Swordmaster]

Well, I am glad that they re-included "The Birth of Rorscach", but I still wish to know if Vedit lives or dies.

 

[Compi716]

The scene with Rorschach and the child molester was in the Hayter draft. It was the only bit of his "origin" sequence.

The additions with Yoko, Lennon, etc.: supposedly they are in the Tse draft that takes place in 1985. They appear in a montage of sorts, to Dylan's "The Times They Are A'changin'" at the beginning of the film.

 

[Brendan]

Were the previous screenplays such as the one by Hayter ever leaked onto the internet or no?

 

[FatalEnergy]

Were the previous screenplays such as the one by Hayter ever leaked onto the internet or no?

both hayter's draft and tse nov 2006? draft are floating around on the internet. I have both. they're meh.

 

[Luchastyle]

both hayter's draft and tse nov 2006? draft are floating around on the internet. I have both. they're meh.

you should send me both of those scripts. i've been wanting to check them out.

 

[WalterKovacs]

i wish they would save time and instead of having yoko ono inthere, they could just have more scenes from the book.

 

[Brendan]

Does anyone have any links to the Hayter script? I'm interested in reading it.

 

[WalterKovacs]

Does anyone have any links to the Hayter script? I'm interested in reading it.

heres the hayter script, but youre on your own in terms of Tse script http://www.sendspace.com/file/dhl9pk

 

[MaskedManJRK]

i wish they would save time and instead of having yoko ono inthere, they could just have more scenes from the book.

I think someone already said that Lennon, Yoko, and the other characters not in the book are only part of the opening credits and it's a montage.

 

[WalterKovacs]

I think someone already said that Lennon, Yoko, and the other characters not in the book are only part of the opening credits and it's a montage.

theres gonna be an opening credits sequence? holy crap i just got goosebumps. which is why ill be pissed if this movie doesnt rock

 

[Brendan]

heres the hayter script, but youre on your own in terms of Tse script http://www.sendspace.com/file/dhl9pk

Thank you very much, I am very grateful to you.

 

[MaskedManJRK]

theres gonna be an opening credits sequence? holy crap i just got goosebumps. which is why ill be pissed if this movie doesnt rock

Yeah, it's a montage set to Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are A'Changin'."

 

[WalterKovacs]

Thank you very much, I am very grateful to you.

glad i could be of service/purpose.

 

[FatalEnergy]

here's tse's script:

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=O13A0VMR

 

[Overman27pj]

I think he is doing fine, but I don't think any fans will be pleased.

This is not a book that will transfer over well, and I know I will have a difficult time with compromise, and I have a track record of being very very very lienent and forgiving with these things....

 

[Captain Carnage]

Just to clear-up any confusion...


That link above is to Tse's first draft from over a year ago, featuring the contemporary post 9/11 setting of previous Hayter efforts. This has been largely available online for a while, now.

I'm aware of the existence of a later version from the end of last year... which I didn't find online. I was given access by a tried and trusted source who knows my love for WATCHMEN and obliged accordingly.
I've not got it in electronic format and I won't see anyone potentially lose their job in Tinsletown over it - truly good sources are hard to come by, y'know?

THIS is the Tse version set in the alternate Cold War 1985.

It indeed features an opening montage annotated as being set to the strains of Dylan's The Times They Are A' Changin', featuring 'newsreel' footage that charts the rise of the costumed hero in US culture through the ages and the effect on history as we know it. Whilst the likes of Lennon are not specifically mentioned, I summise that this would be the point at which they appear.

The recent casting call for look-alike actors released by the studio featured several names from history and pop culture that are required on the project... the majority of which who do not appear in the original comic. This script does feature scenes involving several of these named individuals:

Nixon and his cronies appear discussing strategy at NORAD, in much the same way as in the comic. We also see Tricky Dicky sending Dr Manhattan to 'Nam and later arriving to celebrate the US victory, again as per the comic.

John McLaughlin appears on his own show The McLaughlin Group which is playing on the TV in Blake's apartment when Veidt bursts in at the start. Eleanor Clift and Pat Buchanan are among the guest panellists.

Annie Leibowitz is photographing Veidt in his office for a magazine shoot when Dan pays him a visit to discuss Rorschach's 'mask killer' theory (Rorschach himself not doing so in this script).

Ted Koppel is the TV host who interviews Dr Manhattan when the cancer scare comes to light, causing Doc to lose it and teleport everyone to the studio roof.


Lots of Snyder's so-called 'fetish scenes' do still appear... although some come in slightly trimmed versions. The 'Rorschach Origin' sequence remains, but is greatly truncated and includes largely rewritten dialogue; Moore's original words are pretty much replaced, especially when it comes to 'Schach's closing speech to his shrink (now reduced virtually to just being the line God doesn't make the world this way. We do.) And the 'child molestor' is no longer 'cuffed and torched - Rorschach dispatches him the same as his dogs, bringing the cleaver down on his skull with the line Men get arrested. Dogs get put down.


And there's no 'alien' squid. Deadly blue lightning from above across several major cities worldwide and Dr Manhattan framed as being responsible instead.



Oh... and Veidt still dies, courtesy of Dan.


***EDIT*** I've now seen that MTV footage of Snyder at SDCC linked to in the OP, and in particular the snippet when he talks about working on the scene where Rorschach kills the child molestor.

Now, is it just me, or is that a Meat Cleaver In The Head kinda motion he makes with his arm when he mentions that scene... or the striking of a match to torch the creep? Hurm.

 

[Johnichi Chiba]

Everything I've been hearing from Zack, every little clip, has made a lot more confident that he won't screw this up. I mean he talked about getting the label on the hairspray can right for christ's sake! Its those little things that make let out a sigh of relief that he really gets it (hopefully) and he's acknowledging the fans.

 

[sad lieutenant]

Just to clear-up any confusion...


***EDIT*** I've now seen that MTV footage of Snyder at SDCC linked to in the OP, and in particular the snippet when he talks about working on the scene where Rorschach kills the child molestor.

Now, is it just me, or is that a Meat Cleaver In The Head kinda motion he makes with his arm when he mentions that scene... or the striking of a match to torch the creep? Hurm.

I hadn't caught the cleaver pantomime myself. And if the sort of changes Snyder is making consist of novel uses of meat cleavers in human skulls, then I won't be too disappointed.

 

[Rez]

But VIEDT STILL DIES. One of the(if not THE worst) worst possible changes that could be made.

 

[StorminNorman]

Veidt dying would be a studio change, yes? I think we can all agree on this.

Well Snyder has said that since he has told the Studio that the film will be rated R, he has had NO notes from the Studio.

So basically it comes down to this, do we trust Snyder - an obvious Watchmen fanboy geek - to understand that Veidt shouldn't die?

Honestly, I am not worried.

 

[sad lieutenant]

Veidt dying would be a studio change, yes? I think we can all agree on this.

Well Snyder has said that since he has told the Studio that the film will be rated R, he has had NO notes from the Studio.

So basically it comes down to this, do we trust Snyder - an obvious Watchmen fanboy geek - to understand that Veidt shouldn't die?

Honestly, I am not worried.

Lucid thinking as per usual, Norman... But if Veidt dies in this film -- and let's just lay it down nice and clear before Yahweh and all these yahoos as my witnesses -- you owe me a sandwich.

And preferably a Cuban.

 

[StorminNorman]

Lucid thinking as per usual, Norman... But if Veidt dies in this film -- and let's just lay it down nice and clear before Yahweh and all these yahoos as my witnesses -- you owe me a sandwich.

And preferably a Cuban.

You, sir, have impeccable taste

 

[I Am The Knight]

I trust Snyder to make the right decision, too. This movie is shaping up well so far. No studio meddling WB....Now, if Veidt does indeed end up dying (as per WB wishes) Who should do the deed? Archie? (over the top) Manhattan? Laurie? Rorschah?

 

[sad lieutenant]

You, sir, have impeccable taste

FAWK! Now I want Snyder to kill off Veidt!