Zach Snyder to Direct Watchmen

[IKnowSomeJudo]

Breaking news courtesy of the UK's Empire magazine site:

http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=19672

Shooting script almost ready... mid Eighties setting... Nixon... not completely greenscreen...

Bring It On.

This is like, the best news I've heard all day. 80s setting? Hell yes. **** yes. Someone gets it, finally.

 

[Cinemaman]

Well, I saw 300 trailer and it looks amazing.

I hope Snyder will make vissual style for The Watchmen as true to comics as it can be viewed.

 

[Antonello Blueberry]

I'm not so convinced that keeping the 80s setting and Nixon is such a good idea.
The Tze draft I read made a good job (not great) in setting the story in the present times, still keeping the cold war and Vietnam flashbacks, and making the story more connected to the actual events, as the Wachowski did for "V for Vendetta".

 

[IKnowSomeJudo]

It was a great idea to begin with, and I'm sure it'll play out nicely in the movie as an alternate history/period piece. Doc Manhattan preventing the 9/11 terrorist attack was a nice touch by Tse, but the 80s setting will prove to be more original and ultimately superior, I'm sure.

 

[Johnichi Chiba]

Wait a second, I'm confused. The frontpage says that Snyder is going with Tse's draft, but that Empireonline link says its going to take place in the 80s and that was not the setting for Tse's draft...

 

[ToddIsDead]

Wait a second, I'm confused. The frontpage says that Snyder is going with Tse's draft, but that Empireonline link says its going to take place in the 80s and that was not the setting for Tse's draft...

Maybe he wrote a second draft. I suppose it's possible.

 

[Lobster Charlie]

I'd really like to read that 2nd draft, because the first one was...bleh. I liked Hayter's more.

 

[cerealkiller182]

I'd really like to read that 2nd draft, because the first one was...bleh. I liked Hayter's more.

I didnt really like Hayter's even though people say it was the closest. I think the changes he made were bad, I would have made different changes.

 

[Edward Brock]

I'm not so convinced that keeping the 80s setting and Nixon is such a good idea.
The Tze draft I read made a good job (not great) in setting the story in the present times, still keeping the cold war and Vietnam flashbacks, and making the story more connected to the actual events, as the Wachowski did for "V for Vendetta".

I wouldn't mind if they changed it to take place nowadays but, you know, I think it's for the best to keep it during it's original setting. On one side, the story and the themes are very interconnected with that period. On the other hand, it'll make for a more subtle approach on the social commentary side. Let people decide for themselves if our times are so different from the days back during the Could War.

 

[Edward Brock]

I guess I deserved that.

 

[Ben Breeck]

Problem is, using the original 80s setting for Watchmen is kind of like hyping a movie about fighting Neo-Nazis and then releasing a remake of Fatherland or The Philadelphia Experiment 2.

While it's broader social themes are more timeless than even Alan Moore is willing to admit, many if not most of the Eighties references (the Cold War especially) simply do not work for this day and age.

Imagine if Sam Raimi had decided to set Spider-Man in the early '60s, complete with beehive hairdos, "Seagull Wing" Chevy Biscaynes, and an early British Invasion sound track.

Look me in the eye and tell me with a straight face that it wouldntt have gone over like a lead baloon

 

[Lobster Charlie]

Actually, a period-piece Spiderman, Superman, or Batman would be pretty damned cool. Of course I prefer to see them in the here-and-now, but given to the right director, oh yeah, I can see all of them working in their respective eras.

Spiderman in the 60's
Superman in the 50's
Batman in the 30's/40's

 

[cerealkiller182]

IMO, Spidey, Supes, and Bats confrom to the times better. they are characters and are veyr much a product of their environment to a point. The Watchmen story is based on many thematic elements of that time period thus doesnt and shouldnt conform to a new time period.

The characters could conform, but the story as a whole is more dominant than the characters (Like Spidey and Bats stories)

 

[Motown Marvel]

Wait a second, I'm confused. The frontpage says that Snyder is going with Tse's draft, but that Empireonline link says its going to take place in the 80s and that was not the setting for Tse's draft...

the original Tse draft was written before Snyder came on board. in an interview snyder said he wasnt satisfied with that draft. so this recent draft is very likely to be a draft Tse did under snyder's supervision.

 

[spider-neil]

everyone is moaning about snyer but if you ask me he 'gets' it.
for one he is going to set it in the 80's ESSENTIAL if you ask me.
next he is going to use nixon (YES although it will be difficult to pull off)

he is going to drop the comic book (treasure island) sub plot, total waste of valuable screen time.

I remember him talking about 300 and all he was concerned with was putting the graphic novel on screen and that was it, no ego involved. I think he is perfect.

the plot lines I hoping remain relatively unchanged

* Dr. Manhattan origin and move to mars
* rosharch origin - fight with the police
* ozyimandias(sp) plan for world peace and ending
* the comedian's connection to silver specter II and her mother
* nite owl and silver specter romance

now personally I think that is far to much to include in a 3 hour movie (would perfer a tv mini series) but if anyone can pull it off it's snyder.

also I talk of changing the ending or making new scenes just make was in the BLASTED graphic now for pity sake if watchman is going to be ruined I'd sooner it were left on the shelf. this is the greatest graphic novel in the history of comics so left not screw this up.

 

[cerealkiller182]

* Dr. Manhattan origin and move to mars
* rosharch origin - fight with the police
* ozyimandias(sp) plan for world peace and ending
* the comedian's connection to silver specter II and her mother
* nite owl and silver specter romance

The only one I could really see them dropping is the comedians connection to sil spectre since it holds the leat amount of relevance to the main plot, but I do not think Snyder will drop it. It was a major character moment for everyone involved. Hope they keep the scene of the comedian in the Vietnamese bar as well.

 

[Antonello Blueberry]

The only one I could really see them dropping is the comedians connection to sil spectre since it holds the leat amount of relevance to the main plot, but I do not think Snyder will drop it. It was a major character moment for everyone involved. Hope they keep the scene of the comedian in the Vietnamese bar as well.

They were both in the previous Tse's draft, so they'll probably keep them.

 

[Edward Brock]

he is going to drop the comic book (treasure island) sub plot, total waste of valuable screen time.

Excuse me? I admit that it's practically impossible to pull it off in a 2 or 2 and a half hour movie but if they did, it wouldn't be a waste of time at all...

 

[Capt. Jack]

Excuse me? I admit that it's practically impossible to pull it off in a 2 or 2 and a half hour movie but if they did, it wouldn't be a waste of time at all...

definetly not a waste of time it is hard to imagine a film without it and as much as i never want this film to be made if it must be then make it right im so sick of what seems to be this whole the best we got so lets just do it mentality

hayter did a great job although his changing of the end and whatnot was weak it was good and the 80's setting will work perfectly because the ****ing book isnt set in the 80's that any of us knew it was a semi futuristic 80's of what actual advancment would be like with 4 legged chickens and electric limozines

i for one never ever want to see 9/11 have anything to do with watchmen it is just ridiculous that tragedy should have absolutatly no existance in the world of watchmen and if it does make it in i will never see the film just for that reason alone

now i have a good amount of faith in snyder as a director all that i am concerned about is the writing cause in the end that is what matters most anyone could expect snyder to deliever a beautiful well directed film but if it isnt at least mainly the watchmen most of us know and love then what is the point

here is to hoping it turns our right

cheers

 

[Antonello Blueberry]

i for one never ever want to see 9/11 have anything to do with watchmen it is just ridiculous that tragedy should have absolutatly no existance in the world of watchmen and if it does make it in i will never see

Was Vietnam a comedy? A lot more people died over there than in the 9/11 attacks (and btw right now more American people died in Iraq, too).
However Warner Bros greenlighted its second blockbuster for summer '08 (Speed Racer) so we won't see this movie before Xmas '08.

 

[IKnowSomeJudo]

However Warner Bros greenlighted its second blockbuster for summer '08 (Speed Racer) so we won't see this movie before Xmas '08.

I'm guessing early '09. Given that Singer's SR sequel comes out in summer of 2009, their release dates will probably mirror this year's V for Vendetta/Superman Returns.

 

[Capt. Jack]

sorry i was in no way trying to suggest that 9/11 was in any way more of a tragedy or horrible event in american or worldly history i was just saying that 9/11 should not be included in watchmen especially if it involves dr. manhatten stoping it (just feels wrong and too soon or something)

its hard to explain its just that feeling you know

 

[Capt. Jack]

sorry i was in no way trying to suggest that 9/11 was in any way more of a tragedy or horrible event in american or worldly history i was just saying that 9/11 should not be included in watchmen especially if it involves dr. manhatten stoping it (just feels wrong and too soon or something)

its hard to explain its just that feeling you know

 

[Sandman138]

I'm not so convinced that keeping the 80s setting and Nixon is such a good idea.
The Tze draft I read made a good job (not great) in setting the story in the present times, still keeping the cold war and Vietnam flashbacks, and making the story more connected to the actual events, as the Wachowski did for "V for Vendetta".

I'd rather see the setting stay. The Crucible being a parable for McCarthyism is no less powerful because it takes place during the Witch Trials. Indeed, a great deal of Watchmen's meaning is directly tied to the eighties and the sociopolitical movements that arose out of them. I like that I can read Donna Harraway's comments on C3I and the philosophy of a world on the brink of nuclear holocaust and see connections to her theroies in Watchmen. I honestly don't think any writer that the studio's would hire on for this could come close to the political, social, or philisophical complexity that Moore wrote so I don't see any good coming from them trying to "update" the story.

 

[Silvermoth]

Hey, I'ld rather it wasn't modernised because if people change the story for a "good" reason, they'd be more likely to change it for a bad one.

By the way, has anyone checked this out? Its pretty cool but its not mine.

Sorry if its been posted before...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w14DoxRIXW4