Watchmen
is an upcoming2009 American superhero filmdirected byZack Snyder . Based on
the 1986comic book limited series of the same nameby Alan MooreandDave Gibbons,the
film adaptationstarsPatrick Wilson,Jackie Earle Haley,Malin Akerman, Billy Crudup, Jeffrey
Dean Morgan, Matthew Goode,Stephen McHattie,Matt Frewer , andCarla Gugino. Set in 1985,
the film follows a group of former vigilantes as tensions heighten between the United States andtheSoviet Union. The film began shooting in Vancouver in September 2007 for release on March6, 2009.
As with his previous film
, Snyder closely modeled hisstoryboardson the comic, but he chose not to shoot all of
Watchmen
usingchroma keyand opted for more sets.Following the series' publication, the film adaptation was mired indevelopment hell. Producer Lawrence Gordonbegan developing the project at 20th Century Fox and Warner Bros. with
producer Joel Silver and director Terry Gilliam, the latter eventually deeming the complex novel
unfilmable. During the 2000s, Gordon and Lloyd Levin collaborated withUniversal Studios and
Paramount Picturesto produce a script byDavid Hayter (who set it in modern times).Darren
AronofskyandPaul Greengrasswere attached to Paramount's project, before it was canceled
over budget disputes. The project returned to Warner Bros., where Snyder was hired to direct(Paramount remained as international distributor). Fox sued Warner Bros. for copyright violationarising from Gordon's failure to pay a buy-out in 1991, which enabled him to develop the film atthe other studios. Fox and Warner Bros. settled this before the film's release and Fox will receivea portion of the gross.A DVD based on elements of the
Watchmen
universe will be released; it will include an animatedadaptation of the comic
Tales of the Black Freighter
Under the Hood
, detailing the older generation of superheroes from the film's back-story. An extended edition of the film, with
Tales of the Black Freighter
interspersedthrough the main storyline in a manner reminiscent of the comic, is forthcoming.
Synopsis
The story is set in analternate1985 wheresuperheroesexist,Richard Nixon is still president,
and tensions between the United States and theSoviet Union are at an all-time high. The
vigilanteRorschachis investigating the murder of a former hero, theComedian,and uncovers a
plot to discredit and murder various heroes. Rorschach discovers a far wider-ranging conspiracyinvolving his colleagues' past which could completely change the course of history.
DVD releases
, a comic within the
Watchmen
It was originally included in the script,
but was cut due to budget restrictions,
as the segment would have added $20 million to the budget, becauseSnyder wanted to film it in a stylized manner reminiscent of
.
Snyder consideredincluding the animated film in the final cut,
but the film was already approaching a three hour running time.
300
, voices the Captain in the film, having been promised a role in the film, which never materialized.
The
Tales of the Black Freighter
DVD will also include
Under the Hood
, a documentarydetailing the characters' backstories, which takes its title from that of Hollis Mason's memoirs inthe comic book.
The actors were allowed to improvise during filming interviews incharacter.
The film itself is scheduled to be released on DVD four months after
Tales of the Black Freighter
, and Warner Bros. is thought to be considering releasing an extended version,with the animated film edited back into the main picture.
Snyder expected this final version
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