Sci-Fi Saturday: Watchmen, Terminator, Spidey 4, Iron Man 2 + Heroes, Torchwood, Star Wars, + more March 14, 2009
by Rosario T. Calabria , Filed under: Sci-Fi , trackback
Watchmen was on top last weekend, but now the producer is begging fans to go again. In other news we have The Governator talking about Terminator 4, a new set of release dates for Marvel movies, and more. In TV Land NBC has announced some new summer genre shows and is trying to control some Heroes rumors. Plus George Lucas is casting his new Star Wars TV show. We have all that and more, including all the latest TV and movie previews.
MOVIE NEWS
Watchmen Producer implores fans to go again
"Watchmen" screenwriter David Hayter has written a letter to the fans, expressing his desire for them to go check out the movie again this weekend because, "if it drops off the radar after the first weekend, they [studios] will never allow a film like this to be made again." Hayter wants to make it clear that he’s not making this plea for money, but for "people who love smart, dark entertainment, on a grand, operatic scale."
I’m talking to the Snake fans, the Rorschach fans, the people of the Dark Knight.
And hey, if you hated the film, if you think we committed atrocities, or literary mistakes of a massive, cephalopodic nature. If the movie made you a little sick to your stomach, or made you feel bad about your life. If you hated it for whatever reason, that’s cool too. I’m not suggesting you risk gastro-intestinal distress just for the sake of risky filmmaking.
Head on over to Hardcore Nerdity to read the entire letter. Through Thursday, "Watchmen" has grossed $67.9M domestic, $94.6M worldwide. Unfortunately, Friday’s estimate — third place $5.4M, behind "Race to Witch Mountain" at #1 with $6.75M and "The Last House on the Left" at #2 with $5.6M — indicates a weaker than hoped for second weekend. Analysts expect the film to close out its second weekend with about $16-17M, resulting in a drop of more than 70% (which would put the film at around $84-85M through two weekends). Comparatively, director Zack Snyder’s last film, "300", had grossed $106.4M (domestic) through the comparable period and had a second week drop of 54%.
Spidey 4 set for 2011 + Marvel moves dates for Thor, Capt. America and Avengers
Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios have announced that "Spider-Man 4" will be released on May 6, 2011. With the announced date, however, Marvel Studios has decided to re-work their ambitious release schedule, settling on delays for three of their films. First up is "Thor" from director Kenneth Branagh. The film was originally scheduled to hit theaters on July 16, 2010, but will now hit theaters nearly a year later on June 17, 2011. "The First Avenger: Captain America" is being pushed back by about two months to July 22, 2011 from May 6, 2011. And lastly, "The Avengers" is being pushed back from July 15, 2011 to May 4, 2012. There have been no changes for Marvel’s other high-profile release, "Iron Man 2", which is still scheduled to hit theaters on May 7, 2010.
Arnold Talks Terminator Salvation Cameo
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was at his annual Arnold Classic in Columbus, Ohio last weekend and was asked by TheArnoldFans.com about his rumored cameo in McG’s "Terminator Salavation". Arnold kinda sorta confirms that he’s part of film, but still remains very apprehensive about doing the cameo:
..To kind of have them go out and promote the movie and say you know Arnold is in the movie and everyone thinks that I’m the Terminator and in fact you only see one second of me in there and so I don’t think thats the right thing to do. And you know that’s the danger of that, and that’s why I feel reluctant to be part of the movie in the first place. So it doesn’t get promoted that way.
Arnold also revealed that he’s only seen a working print of film (without the sfx, score, sound, etc.). Head on over to TheArnoldFans.com to read the complete transcript. Check out a new poster from the film, plus a trailer for the soon-to-be released special edition Blu-ray set for "Terminator 2: Judgement Day".
New John Connor poster [TerminatorChronicles]
Trailer for special Blu-ray edition "Terminator 2: Skynet Edition"
Mickey Rourke and Scarlett Johannson Cast In Iron Man 2
After Mickey Rourke’s agent David Unger managed to negotiate Marvel’s original low-ball offer up to a "significant" level, the studio has signed Rourke to play Whiplash in "Iron Man 2". Variety reports that Rourke’s character will "elements from that comicbook villain and Crimson Dynamo, another Russian baddie.” Variety adds that Rourke has actually already met with both director Jon Favreau and screenwriter Justin Theroux and has been involved in the development of his character. Also in the casting department, Nikki Finke of Deadline Hollywood Daily reports that Scarlett Johannson has officially replaced Emily Blunt to play the Black Widow. Blunt had to turn down the role due to her role on "Gulliver’s Travels" for 20th Century Fox.
Some Details on Green Lantern
"Green Lantern" producer Donald De Line talked with ComingSoon.net about the comic-book adaptation:
"Our story is the Hal Jordan origin story, but creating the character of Hal Jordan that is a real character that will resonate with the fanbase is what we need to do. You have to make him credible and somebody to care about and tell a good story, and I think if we do that, we’ll be okay."
When asked about the comedy aspect of the film, De Line responded: "It’s going to be a series of big stakes and big action, but it absolutely has a sense of humor." Expanding on that a bit De Line added "I think people accept real life, even with really serious situations, with humor as part of that situation, as we experience in life, you have to have that." Read much more with De Line at ComingSoon.net.
Third Riddick In Development
During an interview with GameSpot about the upcoming video game "The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena" (follow-up to the 2004 game ‘Escape From Butcher Bay’), Vin Diesel revealed that plans are underway for a third installment in the film franchise and that Pitch Black/The Chronicles of Riddick screenwriter David Twohy "is finishing up the next script":
Maybe we’re too tight-lipped about the next Chronicles of Riddick film, and I think circa the release of [Dark Athena] that’s probably when you’ll start hearing more about the next Riddick film. It is underway and I almost think it’s a coincidence that we haven’t heard anything, that there hasn’t been a lot of public stuff on the Riddick movie.
In a separate interview with SCI FI Wire, Diesel opened up slightly about the project:
We’re going to find Riddick alone for the first part of the movie, barely alive, surrounded by carnivorous monsters who are trying to eat him…So you’ll see a futuristic Rambo-esque Riddick trying to survive.
Juan Antonia Bayona May Be Directing ‘Eclipse’
Spanish director Juan Antonio Bayona may have landed directing duties for "The Twilight Saga’s Eclipse". I say may have because there are some conflicting reports out there. Nikki Finke of Deadline Hollywood Daily was the first to break the news (later confirmed by Variety), but cautioned that Summit Entertainment was keeping the decision private for the moment. After her report a writer at the LA Times wrote that he spoke with Summit Entertainment’s president of production who flat out denied Finke’s report:
“The ‘Eclipse’ directing job hasn’t been offered to Juan Antonio or anyone else,”Feig, said. “We’ve met with three or four talented filmmakers and we’ll be meeting with three or four more other candidates before we make any decision. No one has been offered the job.”
However, Finke has written another post standing by her original article and now writes that she has been told by Feig himself that the LA Times writer misquoted him on the matter. Sounds to me like Bayona has been tapped by Summit, but they are just waiting to announce the news themselves. In related news, Dakota Fanning is now officially confirmed to be in "The Twilight Saga’s New Moon" (November 20, 2009.). The actress will play an Italian vampire named Jane. "The Twilight Saga’s Eclipse" hits theaters on June 30, 2010.
Avatar Director Cameron Addresses Rumors Provides Update
A little less than a week ago, MarketSaw posted a rumor alleging that 8 trailers have been cut by Fox for James Cameron’s "Avatar" and that all eight had been rejected by the director. Well, Cameron has chimed in on the matter, telling AICN that the rumor is completely false (and also shot down the possibility of there being a clip of the film shown at ShoWest):
"…As usual the rumor mill is grinding out mostly spurious stuff. I have no plans at present to go to Showest, and in any event we have decided not to unveil material there."
"As to the trailer story, I have no idea where that came from but I haven’t rejected any trailers (yet) since I haven’t seen any yet. They’re still working on them for presentation, which presumably will be soon. I’m sure I’ll reject a couple once I have the chance. Right now I’m just focused on having a movie to sell."
Be sure to head on over to AICN to read some thoughts from Cameron about the current status of the film.
NEW IMAGES
9 [one more image at io9]
Alice in Wonderland
Magazine scans featuring new images and concept art [more at Tim Burton Collective News]
The Goon [another image at AICN]
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
First look at Daniel Radcliffe on the set [more images at Oculumedia]
Iron Man 2
First set photo [Jon Favreau]
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Set images of Jake Gyllenhaal [The Huffington Post]
X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Three new promotional images [go to Marvel.com to see in high-res]
Promotional image of Deadpool [Superhero Hype!]
NEW VIDEOS
2012
Viral video featuring Woody Harrelson’s character Charlie Frost [several more at ThisIsTheEnd.com]
Drag Me to Hell
First movie trailer [HD Version]
Dragonball Evolution
New UK TV Spot
New Clip: Goku vs. Roshi [five more clips: 1 || 2 || 3 || 4 || 5]
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Trailer #4
Monsters vs. Aliens
New clip [plus watch a behind-the-scenes featurette at SCI FI Wire]
Race to Witch Mountain
Up
UPisode #2: First Aid [HD Version]
MOVIE BITES
- Warner Bros. has hired Dave Kajganich to write an adaptation of the Stephen King novel "It" for the big screen. The best-selling 1986 novel was adapted for the small screen by ABC as a miniseries in 1990. [THR]
- Sean Austin says that if asked, he would be thrilled to reprise his role as Sam Gamgee in the upcoming big-screen adaptation of "The Hobbit", but doubts he’ll be asked because his character wasn’t in the novel. [SCI FI Wire]
- "Dark City" director Alex Proyas says he’s intrigued by the possibility of making a sequel to the cult-hit, which would "have Rufus, who was the hero in the first one, be the bad guy," explaining that the character "should turn nasty because he’s got unlimited power"… [MTV]
- …Proyas also spoke about his latest film, "Knowing", revealing that he pushed the film "in a much more science fiction direction, away from its more disaster movie origins." [MTV]
- 20th Century Fox is reportedly developing a "Fantastic Four" reboot. Fox apparently wants to reboot the series in a tone described as "less bubble gum", i.e. more in the style of "Iron Man". [IESB]
- Sticking with IESB, the site is also hearing reports that Warner Bros. and Silver Pictures have begun moving forward again with their live-action "Wonder Woman" project.
- Spurred by strong DVD sales and a solid box office run, New Line is moving forward with a sequel to "Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D". Both Brendan Fraser and Josh Hucherson are expected to reprise their roles for the sequel, which will be based on a repurposed script from Richard Outten. [THR]
- Paradox Entertainment has acquired the film rights to "Chariots of the Gods", Erich von Daniken’s 1968 bestselling book that explored evidence that civilizations were visited by extraterrestrials. [Variety]
- "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" director Michael Bay may be considering casting Frank Welker (the voice of Megatron and Soundwave in the cartoons) as Soundwave in the film. Responding to an interview Welker gave, Bay said "I think I’m going to pursue Frank on Soundwave"… [Shoot for the Edit]
- …John Turturro, who returns as Agent Simmons in "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" may also be the voice of Jetfire in the sequel. [Transformers Live Action Blog]
- Someone has seen "X-Men Origins: Wolverine", allegedly, and you can read they’re review here. [via io9]
- "Terminator Salvation" producers Derek Anderson and Victor Kubicek and their Halycyon Co. banner are being sued by fellow producer Mortiz Borman. Borman is alleging fraud and break of contract for not being paid producing fees. The suit, filed last Friday in Los Angeles, lists eight causes of action and seeks more than $160 million in damages. [Variety]
- Sienna Miller, who plays the Baroness in Stephen Sommers’ "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra" talks about her role in the film in a new interview with SCI FI Wire. The actress also gave an interview with MTV.
- If a second "Ghost Rider" gets greenlit, Nicolas Cage says that he’d like for it "to have that action horror element and go deeper into that". Cage also revealed that Marvel is currently looking for a writer for the potential sequel. [MTV]
- Steven Spielberg has wrapped 32 days of performance-capture lensing for "Tintin". He’ll be handing the project off to Peter Jackson, who will focus on the film’s special effects for the next 18 months. [Variety]
CASTING BITES
- Five actors have joined the cast of Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard’s secretive genre project "The Cabin in the Woods". The actors/actresses are Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, Fran Kranz and Jesse Williams. Shooting is underway for the film, whic1h hits theaters on February 5, 2010. [THR]
- Aasif Mandvi, Shaun Toub and Cliff Curtis have all joined the cast of M. Night Shyamalan’s "The Last Airbender". [SCI FI Wire]
TV NEWS
Addressing some of those Heroes Death Rumors + Title for Next Year’s Volume
With all the rumors being spread around over the past several weeks about deaths of certain heroes on the NBC series, "Heroes" creator Tim Kring and producer Bryan Fuller have decided to set the record straight. First off, show creator Tim Kring wants to reassure fans that the Hayden Panatierre and Milo Ventimiglia romantic will not factor into what happens on screen:
The final decision about which characters live and die on Heroes rests with me… I’ve made no announcement yet as to who will return and who won’t.
Panatierre is also denying the rumors, telling OK Magazine that she and Milo "are very close…We have enjoyed and continue to enjoy working together." And finally, addressing the rumors about Ali Larter leaving the show, returning producer Bryan Fuller told Entertainment Weekly that the actress is "not going anywhere…I’ve never seen somebody so committed to the show as Ali, and the show is absolutely committed to Ali." And lastly, rounding out this week’s "Heroes" news, writer/producers Aon Coliete and Joe Pokaski told Comic Book Resources that the name of the next volume in the series is "currently" called "Redemption": All we can tell you is that act five of our "Fugitives" finale will give you a look at what it will entail.
Here are the latest images and videos from the series
Promo images from episode 20, "Cold Snap" [more at SpoilerTV]
Promo for "Cold Snap"
And here’s a sneak preview of the episode
Casting on Live-Action Star Wars Show Underway
While doing press for the Nicolas Cage thriller "Knowing", co-star Rose Byrne revealed that George Lucas has begun casting for his live-action "Star Wars" TV series, “A lot of my friends have been auditioning for it,” she said. As for Byrne, who played Dorme in ‘Episode II: Attack of the Clones’, however, she said she won’t be auditioning for the series, noting her current work on the FX series "Damages": “I’m on a show,” she said. “I don’t know if I look that good in space.” According to past reports, the live-action "Star Wars" series will focus on minor characters from the franchise and will be set in the period between ‘Episode III: Revenge of the Sith" and the original "Star Wars".
NBC’s Summer Schedule Genre-heavy
The just-announced NBC summer schedule (click here for the press release) features several sci-fi programming, including two miniseries:
The Meteor (four hour miniseries) – June 7 (9:00-11:00pm) and June 14 (9:00-11:00pm)
Two massive rocks, tumbling debris older than the solar system itself, collide in space. The course has been altered. The target is Earth. In a remote observatory, Dr. Lehman (Emmy winner Christopher Lloyd, “Back to the Future”), discovers a meteor approximately three times the size of Mount Everest barreling its way towards Earth. His devoted young assistant Imogene O’Neill (Marla Sokoloff, “The Practice”) feverishly types in the coordinates only to find the previously identified meteor named Kassandra is headed their way. It’s only the beginning of their troubles as showers of smaller meteorites begin to lay waste to major cities around the globe. Also stars Stacy Keach, Billy Campbell, Michael Rooker and Jason Alexander.The Storm (four hour miniseries) – July 19 (9:00-11:00pm) and July 26 (9:00-11:00pm)
Billionaire Robert Terrell (Golden Globe and Emmy nominee Treat Williams, “Everwood”) has fulfilled a lifelong obsession and made history with “weather creation” technology though his Atmospheric Research Institute. But during a test run, a blast of energy is sent into the ionosphere with unexpected results. The experiments hurtle the planet towards destruction—hurricanes change course, winds go instantly from hot to cold, torrential rains bring regions to a standstill, and buildings crumble into ruins under explosive lightening storms. It’s only the beginning. Also stars James Van Der Beek, David James Elliott and Teri Polo.
The hit BBC series "Merlin" (which has already been renewed for a second season), will also air this summer. The 13-episode season begins on Sunday, June 21st at 8:00pm. Here’s the synopsis:
“Merlin” is a new 13-part drama series that updates the story of the infamous sorcerer of Arthurian legend for a new audience in the mythical city of Camelot, in a time before history began. In this fantastical realm, Merlin is a young man gifted with extraordinary magical powers who arrives in the kingdom and quickly makes enemies, including the heir to Uther’s crown, the headstrong Prince Arthur. But guided by Uther’s wise physician, Gaius, Merlin is soon using his talents not just to survive but also to unlock Camelot’s mystical secrets.
Some Details on the Torchwood Miniseries
Euros Lyn, the director of the upcoming "Torchwood" miniseries "Children Of Earth", shared a few details with Wired about the five-episode miniseries (which will serve as the show’s third season):
"For the first time, we’ll see Torchwood facing a threat from home while they’re also investigating an alien invasion. When they try to discover why all the children in the world have suddenly stopped at the same time, Torchwood also has to deal with human beings who are trying to hide a past mistake."
Lyn also revealed that he’s directing the final David Tennant story, which he says "fans will be thrilled with David’s farewell and how we set up the 11th Doctor [Matt Smith]."
Morena Baccarin and Joel Gretsch Join ABC’s V Pilot
ABC’s drama pilot "V", the network’s reboot of the 1980s miniseries, has added two cast members. Morena Baccarin ("Stargate SG1", "Firefly") has been cast as Anna, the leader of the Visitors who is remarkably knowledgeable about human culture and media manipulation. Also cast is Joel Gretsch ("The 4400"). Gretsch will play a Catholic priest who sees a renaissance of faith after the Visitors arrive.
TV IMAGES
Doctor Who
Images from the Easter Special, "Planet Of The Dead" [more at Radio Times]
Dollhouse
Promo images from episode seven, "Echoes" [more at SpoilerTV]
Lost
Promo images from episode 10, "He’s Our You" [more at The ODI]
Set images [more at DarkUFO and Hawaii Weblog]
Smallville
Promotional images from episode 17, "Hex" [more at OSCK]
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
Promotional images from episode 20, "To The Lighthouse" [one more at Sarah Connor Society]
TV VIDEOS
Chuck
Promo from episode 17, "Chuck Versus The Predator"
Doctor Who
The Tennant Tapes #3
Kings
Preview clip from the series premiere
Kyle XY
Promo for episode 10, the show’s series finale, "Bringing Down the House"
Lost
Sneak preview from episode nine, "Namaste"
And here’s another sneak peek at the episode
Smallville
Promo from episode 16, "Turbulence"
And here’s a clip from the episode
Supernatural
Promo for episode 16, "On the Head of a Pin"
TV BITES
- The fifth season premiere of "Ghost Hunters" made SCI FI the most-watched network for the hour among adults 18-34, adults 18-49, adults 25-54, males 18-49, males 25-54, women 18-49 and women 25-54. The show drew a 1.9 household coverage rating, 2.7 million total viewers, 1.6 million adults 18-49 and 1.7 million adults 25-54. [SCI FI]
- Comic book store owners were not at all pleased with how they, and fans, were represented in last week’s episode of "Heroes". [The Savage Critics via io9]
- Rebecca Romijn is the latest witch cast in ABC’s "Eastwick", the network’s reboot of the 1980s film "The Witches of Eastwick" (which itself was based on the John Updike novel). Romijn will play Roxie, joining already cast witches Lindsay Price, and Jamie Ray Newman. Paul Gross has also been cast in the pilot. [Variety]
- For the first time since their respective Friday night premieres, both "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" and "Dollhouse" increased their ratings from the week prior. ‘TSCC’ drew 3.5M viewers and a 1.2 A18-49 rating (+21 and +20 percent, respectively), while "Dollhouse" drew 4.3M viewers and a 1.6 A18-49 rating (+19 and +7 percent, respectively). Both shows were still second-to-last in their time period for the hour, however.
- There’s a rumor that Hanna Murray may be the next "Doctor Who" companion. [I Know Who via io9]
- The ninth episode of "Stargate Universe" will be called "Justice" and it will deal with "shipboard justice and the ever-developing interrelations among the crew". [via Gateworld.net]
- Sticking with the Stargate franchise, the fifth, and final, season of "Stargate Atlantis" will hit DVD in North American on June 30th. [TVShowsOnDVD.com]
- Turns out that the producers of ABC’s "Life on Mars" didn’t need to alter the season/series finale all that much. Fans can expect many of the show’s storylines to be wrapped up in the final hour. [Zap2It]
- The plan is still to have Claire return as a regular character for the sixth season of "Lost"… [TV Guide]
- …Also, producers Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelf reveal that we’ll be meeting a couple characters this season that we’ve heard about, but haven’t seen yet. [Doc Arzt]
- We’ll learn more of Peter’s past, and the experiments Olivia underwent as a child with the drug Cortexiphan in upcoming episodes of the Fox series "Fringe". [EW]
- The characters Bryce and Dr. Jill Roberts will both be back on NBC’s "Chuck". Also, Chuck’s dad (played by Scott Bakula) may be the mysterious "Orion", or at the very least be connected to him/her. [EW, TV Guide and SCI FI Wire]
BSG News
In case you missed it, be sure to check out Friday’s weekly BSG column to get your fix on the latest BSG news, images and videos. In the mean time, here’s the promo for next week’s episode — the show’s two-hour series finale — "Daybreak, Parts II and III".
MISC VIDEOS
Lex Luthor Bailout
SNL Skit: Game Time with Dave and Greg
Why Terminators Transport Naked
MISC BITES
- British writer Tony Lee talks about the upcoming "Doctor Who" monthly magazine, set to launch this July. [Comic Book Resources]
- Devil’s Due Publishing and CBS Consumer Products have cut a deal to publish a comic book based on the canceled CBS series "Jericho". The comic will pick up where the series left off, and the original producing team of Jon Turteltaub, Carol Barbee, Karim Zreik and Jon Steinberg will all be involved, promising to address some of the story’s still lingering questions. [Devil's Due Publishing]
- A softcover copy of a rare 1997 first edition copy of J.K. Rowling’s "Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone" sold for a record $19,120 at a recent auction. Only 300 hardcover and 200 softcover copies of Rowling’s first book were ever printed. The book was also signed by Rowling. [SCI FI Wire]
- "The Dark Knight" and "Lost" led their respective Film and TV categories in nominations at this The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films’ annual Saturn Awards. Both "The Dark Knight" and "Lost" received 11 nominations. [SaturnAwards.org]
- Check out the the cover for "And Another Thing…", which is ‘part six of three’ in the "The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy" series. [SCI FI Wire]
SCI FI RATINGS (2/16/2009 to 2/22/2009)
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Comments»
Thanks for this!
“Mickey Rourke and Scarlett Johannson Cast In Iron Man 2″
Well, one of those names might help IM2, the other…not so much.
It also blows my mind that half a million more people are watching Dollhouse than TSCC. Dollhouse has been really uneven, though I’ll admit last week’s episode was pretty darn good. If they can keep up that level, I’ll stick around. And I really hope they don’t can TSCC right when things are getting *really* interesting.
“…sequel novel to the hit “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy”. ????
Wow, blasphemy. How did *that* happen?
Not meaning to be nitpicky, but Morena Baccarin, signed for the V remake, was in Stargate SG1, not Atlantis.
Love the news! Thanks!
a new spiderman MIGHT be cool…
and Drag me to Hell actually looks good…i’m not a horror fan either.
Watchmen Producer begging fans to go see it
HA
I will laugh if the same happens to JJ’s Star Trek (for non trek-fans).
“oh please trek-fans even if you hated the film please see it”
-JJ after may 8 2009
HA
I am joking……..a little
Does it strike anyone as odd that the producer of Watchmen is asking — begging — people to go see it? Translation: “We aren’t making enough money and my career is on the line because we spent a lot of money and aren’t making it back. Now go see it, you proles! Please.”
First Star Trek: Countdown, and now a Jericho comic? I’m reading more comics now then my entire childhood!
“Revenge of the Sit”, Bro?
The “John Connor” poster — is for a toy. That’s right, it’s not a shot from the movie. It’s a carefully crafted shot of an (expensive) action figure.
Translation:
Go see Watchmen again or my next job will involve asking people if they want fries with that burger!
To 12:
I dunno, if he really needed work he could always hope for another sequel to Metal Gear. My little in-brain-narration-guy read Hayter’s comments in Solid Snake’s voice. :-P
But I agree with him….folks should go see it again (or for the first time), it really is fantastic.
I’m pretty likely to see Watchmen a second time on the big screen, but I’ll see it on my schedule; the director begging me otherwise doesn’t impress me.
I think Watchmen dropped the ball in a couple of ways (amping up the gore needlessly, for example), improved on the source material in two ways (doesn’t telegraph the villain, villain’s nutty plan is now 7% less nutty), and in all other ways perfectly captured the comic. So, worth a second trip, sure – but when I wanna :)
The sequel novel to “hitchhiker’s guide to the galaxy” is “restaurant at the end of the universe”.
WTF?!!
http://geektrek.today.com
WOOHOO Yes, now a Jericho Comic! Oh Happy Day!
Looking forward to Iron Man 2,
Boy Im counting the days down to ST: TFB
:o)
6 – I like a good horror film, and the Sam Raimi films I’ve seen, but the trailer for “Drag Me to Hell” came across as a big cheese ball to me.
Man, SNL skits keep getting more and more lame!
Another great round-up for Sci-fi Saturday, however.
My best friend should be pretty psyched when I tell him there are plans for another Riddick film.
Too much good stuff.
wow, long post but with so much cool info! THANK YOU!
Kate and Juliet end up fixing VWs in the Dharma Motor Pool. Sweet!
Re: Watchmen
I haven’t had a chance to see the film yet, although I definitely still plan to. If it blows, I won’t see it again. – At least not in the theater.
::::E n d O f L i n e::::
Why is there such a drop-off in sales for Watchmen? Maybe because the movie was consciously designed to be half-watched/half-ignored by distracted teenagers who use DVD’s like wallpaper. Only 2 or 3 of the characters are fully realized in the film. The rest of the movie depends on one’s ability to sit through 2 hour 42 minutes of 300-style fight scenes and candy-colored special effects. To paraphrase Dr. Manhattan, “Why would we return to a film we no longer have a stake in?”
As for the Meteor (remake/rehash 93587340928723498234) movie, Doc Brown and George in the same movie? Yep, I can feel the tension building already.
Doctor Who’s new companion is a hottie. Mmmm.
A big screen ‘It’ sounds like a real stretch, but considering how many pointless remakes and pointless sequels are on the list this week, I shouldn’t be surprised.
Hopefully, Lost will stay interesting. It looks much better lately.
Losing all hope for Heroes. Don’t care who dies. Don’t care who lives.
Aliens V. Monsters will be cute. We’ll take EnsR.
Anyway — thanks for the round-up.
Re: Watchmen
I watched it two times already. As an admirer of the comic / graphic novel / call it what you want I was hoping to see the best Moore adaptation so far and that it is but it still lacks the depth and brilliance of the original. 6 out of 10 for me.
Now I’m waiting for the Director’s Cut to come.
Even with The Black Freighter added back in, the film will have dead spots: specifically, Silk Specre II and Ozymandius. The characters are just another group of superheroes into sock-jockey and wild costumes. Oh wait, they aren’t SUPPOSED to be super. They’re SUPPOSED to be flawed humans. Hmm….
I think Watchmen is a watchable movie, but I wouldn’t put it much higher than X-men, which is a shame, because the book has a lot to say.
MY God.. He’s begging for people to go see Watchman again? Hey, how about giving me my money back for having to sit through three hours of that crapfest!!!!
Maybe you wouldn’t have had to beg people to see it if you made a better movie. If it didn’t cost so much to see, i would have walked out of it after the first hour and a half.That in my opinion was one of the worst comic book movies I have ever seen. It’s relevence is completely lost on todays ADD generation, and it was just soooooo slllllooooooowwwwwwwww.
Seriously, this is a movie that should be viewed on cable, where you can get up and do other things during the immensely boring parts of this film. They went into way too much detail on all the characters backstories, the gore was stupid, and i do HATE the 300 style of camera work especially the fight scenes. It was just a bad film, and only proves that you can have all the money you want, and still make a movie that is utter crap.
I have advice for all who have not yet seen this movie.. STAY HOME!! Do you honestly think they won’t make another Dark Knight or any other film noir if this one tanks? I don’t think so. As long as the movie is good and the concept marketable and interesting, they will make more movies like that. Watchmen just sucked, plain and simple, and hopefully the director will find a job at the local in and out burger or go back to film school and possibly look for a new career.
I saw Watchmen last week. I am NOT going to see it again…it was 3!hrs…I have a life (sort of)…I LOVED it! Where I am, it only shows 3 times a day because it IS 3 HRS! So…it will not gross a bizillion dollars this week, or next week, BECAUSE IT IS 3 HRS! Do the math Fox!
Oh, and while I’m Fox bashing…PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CANCEL THE TERMINATOR tv series…why associate yourself with yet another, low-rated, extremely well-produced, creatively superior television series that features (literally) the MOST attractive cast on tv now, is the rare thought-provoking, morally invigorating, non-spoon-feeding show on the air now. The show has been a slow-burn all season long…and each hour is a joy to watch! So…can it, and stretch the outlived American Idol to 5! nights a week, make it a variety show with interviews and skits, OR…make Hell’s Kitchen 5 nights a week!! Yeah!!! DVR Alert!!!!!
4. Robert Saint John: ‘…sequel novel to the hit “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy”. ???? Wow, blasphemy. How did *that* happen?’
The book’s been done with the blessing of Douglas Adams’s widow and the rest of his family. Douglas Adams himself had wanted to continue the Hitchhikers series, before he died so tragically young! Dirk Maggs even tweaked the ending of the last novel when adapting it for the last Hitchhikers radio series to make it more upbeat, because Adams had wanted the series to go out on a more optimistic note than Mostly Harmless had!
Hopefully the new book will prove to be a lot of fun and, if we’re lucky, Dirk Maggs will get to make another radio series out of it.
I don’t want the last word on HHGTTG to be ***that*** movie! HHGTTG doesn’t work as a movie: it needs to be a meandering, bizarre novel, radio series or TV show. And Colfer certainly can’t do a worse job than Brian Herbert and Kevin J Anderson have on the disgusting Dune continuation novels!
Actually, with excellent modern computer FX being affordable on a TV budget these days, I’d love to see them give a TV series adaptation another go. Do all six books across two seasons of 18×30 minute episodes!
27. Bruce_Wayne
My hope is that the new Terminator movie might give the TV show a stay of execution. It seems bonkers not to use the movie as a giant piece of publicity for a third season.
All they need to do is have a mini relaunch so that people can jump on board with season three without having to have a thorough knowledge of seasons one and two!
To be honest…did they honestly expect Watchmen to be a huge commercial success when they considerably limited its accessability with such over the top and excesive gore!? It just wasn’t necessary! And it is a little toooo long! I gave it four stars on my radio show but thinking about it maybe not…maybe it should of been 3! It was good, but kinda inaccessable due to the gore, and once you it two hours you kinda begin to switch off a little…hmmmm, the graphic novel was great though :D
Whilst talking about my radio show…managed to plug Star Trek a little on Tuesday, am probably the only person in the UK doing that…but still, if only one person was listening :P
@29…
In germany the first season was cancelled after a couple of weeks, to be replaced by Simpsons reruns. Tomorrow Fringe will start in that spot…
followed by Lost, season 4.
Germany has a pop star called Sarah Connor, with her own reality soap.
Her fans were shocked by killer androids from the future in syntheflash…
D’oh.
Syntheflesh.
Another funny example of the german Dubmeisters:
Homer Simpsons D’oh is translated as “Nein”
Which means no.
31. thorsten: Germany has a pop star called Sarah Connor, with her own reality soap. Her fans were shocked by killer androids from the future in syntheflash…’
I’m surprised TSCC didn’t get renamed for Germany. Call it The John Connor Chronicles’ or just Terminator!
I suspect Terminator 3 put off a lot of people, especially outside the US. I still wince when I think of that shot of Nick Stahl in aged make-up yelling with a bunch of guys carrying a tattered US flag! It basically says the US is the human race and no one else counts! It was a silly scene and either should have been cut or Michael Edwards brought back!
From what I’ve read on Box Office Mojo, “Watchmen’s” shortfall in the US is being greatly exacerbated by its non-performance in the rest of the world, where, UK excepted, the comic book was not a factor. And this after a major advertising campaign.
‘Star Trek’ should quickly look at where the marketing team behind “Watchmen” may have erred overseas, and make sure that general audiences in virgin markets are attracted to the new film.
35. AJ: ‘‘Star Trek’ should quickly look at where the marketing team behind “Watchmen” may have erred overseas, and make sure that general audiences in virgin markets are attracted to the new film.’
I’m sure they do that all the time: that’s what marketing people are paid for! Of course, they are known to get things wrong, but Abrams seems to be getting good press all over the world. When the Burgker King meals kick off and Kellogs start offering toys or whatever in cereal packets, awareness of the film should rocket!
For all the publicity, Watchmen is a very English-speaking world oriented comicbook and, by extension, movie. Some American things will simply never cross over. Watchmen is what it is! I never expected it to be another 300. But it’s doing ok for what it is! Expectations for bigger box office are flawed!
Waiting for the extended DVD of Watchmen to view at home because I can’t sit for still for 2 &1/2 hours. I’m glad the live Star Wars TV show is finally gearing up. HBO will show it, I think.
Dom:
Kellogs and Burger King will do wonders here in the US and A and Canada. But TrekXI needs to do what it takes marketing-wise to get Asia behind it. North America will do great, but it’s the Rest of the World which will propel it over the top.
A reboot of Fantastic four….okay. How ’bout doing it in a retro 60’s type of way that the Incredibles touched on so well. Base it on the bible of the FF which is, in my opinion, essentially the first 100 or so issues done by Kirby. I’m continually amazed and dismayed that other films do Marvel better than Marvel.
Glad to see they got smart on the Iron Man movie. I’m looking forward to it. I’m also looking forward too Branaugh’s Thor movie.
@34…
Dom, they actually called it Terminator SCC…
but that didn’t help ;))
I personally liked Watchmen, except that I couldn’t understand why Dr. Manhattan would change his mind about humanity simply based on Silk Spectre II’s personal drama.
I would like to see it again, but I don’t usually see films in theaters more than once. I didn’t see Ironman more than once, for example.
The only movies I tend to see more than once in movie theaters are Star Trek and Star Wars movies.
The only movies I saw again and again in the theaters were Star Wars and Blade Runner…
I’m excited about the Jericho comic book. Especially with the creators involvement. I’ve always thought a series of novels would be cool too.
39/Andy Patterson:
The first two FF movies sucked, and I can see where you’re coming from. “Incredibles” last scene with the “Underminers” is quite reminiscent of FF #1 and the “Mole Man.” It would be great, indeed.
From your mouth to God’s ears!
i think deb schlussel’s review of the watchmen might shed some light on it’s lack of appeal:
The “Watchmen” Lie: Hollywood Sends More Depravity Your Kids’ Way Costumed as “Superhero” Flick
Yes, I know, it’s being heavily marketed as a superhero movie, with action figures for your kids. But that–and the heroic-looking movie trailer–are a big, fat lie. And that’s where real parenting comes in . . . like actually investigating the movie before you take or send your kids to see this garbage.
In fact, as a movie critic who sees most new releases, I haven’t seen a more violent, depraved movie in years (not to mention a longer, more boring movie with a more preposterous and silly plot). This movie makes the graphic bloodshed of the recently released “Friday the 13th” look like “Cinderella.”
More:
http://www.debbieschlussel.com/archives/2009/03/the_watchmen_li.html
42, not even Star Trek movies?
45, it’s a political thing with Deb Schlussel, probably. You’re not going to have conservatives liking the fact that Nixon was portrayed as a Strangelovian maniac, nor will the depiction of the violence of war in Vietnam be seen as a feather in Watchmen’s cap.
People like Schlussel may also think that Rorschach’s worldview is a caricature of their own — a distortion, as it were, of the anti-crime stance of many conservatives.
But from my perspective, Watchmen criticized everyone — left, right, and center. Rorschach was meant, in some respects, to be a sympathetic figure, and his hatred of crime was in part nurtured by his knowledge that liberals in the justice system would give defendants every benefit of the doubt. Thus, liberalism takes a beating even as conservatism gets walloped through the audacity of Rorschach’s violence.
Watchmen, further, was NOT a superhero movie, and the stated intent of the makers was to destroy the superhero movie, not emulate it. If Schlussel believed that it was marketed as such, then she may be missing the point. The movie’s moral standpoint is more nihilistic than superheroic, even though, in the end, its cynicism was muffled by Manhattan’s change of heart.
I daresay that the world is a lot more chaotic than thought of in much of conversative philosophy. I have little patience for conservative criticism that seems rooted in mistaken assumptions about how the world really works.
45:
Jeffery:
Schlussel is a fringe bigoted conservative journalist. She uses the same tactics as FOX news, and creates a story from a crackpot assumption, this one being, if you take your kids to Watchmen “you are a moron.” The whole review is based on the non-existent threat that droves of kids are seeing the film.
Watchmen is rated “R” in the US, and most parents take those ratings seriously. She goes on to rant that “if you see this movie, you are a moron.”
She saw it.
The only reasonable take-away from her rant is that this film may confuse parents, who think it is a traditional superhero film,and appropriate for kids. Obviously, it is not, but the marketing is geared toward increasing ticket sales and, much like “Big Tobacco,” throws colorful super-hero-y images at general audiences. Superheroes are for kids. And clearly, kids should not be targeted at all by such an ultraviolent film.
46:
Hat Rick:
One block from my home, on 73rd and Amsterdam in NYC, is a huge billboard with a picture of “The Comedian” in costume, and the “WATCHMEN” logo. It screams “superhero” as much as Spiderman or Iron Man.
What the “makers” have in mind is completely separate from the what the marketeers must do. Despite the mythic rep the graphic novel had 20+ years ago, almost no-one outside of genre fans knows of Watchmen. Joe and Mary sixpack with 2.3 kids will always look for films with broad family appeal, and an “acceptable” level of action/violence. The billboard is benign enough to suggest that it is a typical superhero film, when it is, as you posit, the exact opposite.
Oh man, I am in some serious Doctor Who withdrawl. Stupid not-being-in-Britain-ness.
Tennant should have played the Doc in his natural Scottish accent; it sounds way cooler than his generic accent :)
Has anyone read anything else by Eoin Colfer? Was it any good?
The Lex Luthor Bailout skit is hilarious!
“Superman flew around the Earth backwards and reversed the national debt.”
“….F****ing guy.”
AJ, I actually wrote a fairly lengthy response to your message, 47, but it was lost in transmission. The points I made were that I did not fully agree with Schlussel’s criticism of the movie’s marketing given that the movie was R-rated, that Schlussel’s main point was to disparage the movie, that Schlussel’s criticism of Murdoch failed to account for Murdoch’s responsibility for Fox News Channel, and that Schlussel’s viewpoint was particularly narrow considering that she is a movie critic. I don’t have enough time to try to re-create that message, so this summary will have to do instead.
@50…
Rick, next time that happens try to step back in your browser’s history…
if you are still in the same window you used to write the comment, hiting the delete button should bring you back to the point where the text reappears in the comment field…
#51
Does that allow for tachyon emissions?
Some works simply suffer from shifting mediums – Watchmen definitely did. What worked in the graphic novel did not always work on the big screen. The sex scenes were pointless and laughable (the use of Cohen’s ‘Hallalujah’, whether used for intentional laughs or not, simply didn’t work on any level) and the violence became so cartoonish and glorified that it no longer had any impact. Rorschach’s flashback should have given you insight or otherwise lent some sympathy to his character, but instead you just get another moment of ultraviolence where 18 year-old boys can whisper loudly to their friends ‘DUDE! He just nailed that pedo with a butcher knife! WICKED!’. I know ‘All Along the Watchtower’ was part of the novel, but its use in the film was like being smacked in the face with a metaphorical frying pan. The film possessed no subtlety whatsoever. It was really a missed opportunity.
But that’s what happens when you hire a director who only has 2 films under his belt, both of which were hollow, shallow recreations of better works. At least in the case of Dawn of the Dead, anyway.
“The film was originally scheduled to hit theaters on July 16, 2010, but will now hit theaters nearly six months later on June 17, 2011.”
I’m no mathmatician but I think that should say “nearly a year later” instead of “nearly six months later”.
@52…
yep. That is the way your future self told me what a frakking great movie JJ, Bob and the the others made for us!
I’ll be sure to catch Watchmen for the zeroth time again next weekend. ;)
Begging looks bad, period.
JJ won’t have to beg. Trek will be tops for the year.
@ 56 – Exactly…I can’t help but feel it has done NOTHING for the film having the producer beg people to go! Kinda self defeating a tad!
@ 54 – I noticed that too but forgot to mention anything
@ 55, 56 and everyone else – Yeeea, JJ wont have to beg, him, Bob and the others will show everyone how to treat something so classic, iconic and sacred properly!! :D
#55
Did my future self happen to mention bringing back any winning lottery numbers?
53. sean –
Totally agree on all points. The music choices in the film were utterly baffling. Tears for Fears’ “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” played in the lobby of Ozymandias’ office building — another frying pan in the face. A scene which should’ve been terrifying — Dr. Manhattan defeating the Viet Cong — turned into parody with the overused ubiquitous Vietnam movie joke “Flight of the Valkyries” (really, did the guy picking the songs for this think it was a comedy?).
For my money the actor playing the pedophile in Rorschach’s origin totally blows that whole scene (and Snyder’s directing him is ultimately to blame). One of the things that sends R over the brink is this monster’s apparent devotion for his dogs in light of what he’d done to the little girl. In the film the actor comes across as disaffected and sarcastic — no different than any number of anonymous punks R dispatches throughout the movie. It was a key moment in the graphic novel but it shot by in the movie and didn’t really explain anything about R’s internal workings.
Why do they keep touting Snyder as a “visionary director” when he’s merely an interpreter?
Watchmen was too convoluted for the general movie goer. Actually I think for its subject matter it did as well as I expected it would. History can be a better judge of success. Look at Blade Runner it also was not a general audience hit.
39. Andy Patterson –
“A reboot of Fantastic four….okay. How ’bout doing it in a retro 60’s type of way that the Incredibles touched on so well. Base it on the bible of the FF which is, in my opinion, essentially the first 100 or so issues done by Kirby. I’m continually amazed and dismayed that other films do Marvel better than Marvel.”
That’s how I’ve always felt! Put them in the 60s, make it look like the Kirby comics with all the zany tech and hyper-exageratedness! But I’m sure they’ll go with something more akin to Ultimate FF and it’ll bomb again. I really hate Hollywood.
“It” as a 2-hour-ish movie is doomed to fail. The novel is just too much for one movie. They’ll have to change the ending, the same as the 1990 miniseries did, because it is unfilmable.
A weekly Star Wars series? This will only be good if George Lucas has nothing to do with it. Someone please take away his WGA card before he writes again. And let’s hope whoever cast Hayden Chistenson in the movies is not involved in casting this series.
Someone please tell Hollywood that “meteors” exist only when they enter Earth’s atmosphere. Before that, they’re asteroids. On the ground, their meteorites.
@ 61 – Yeeea, they should do the same thing they did with Starsky and Hutch with FF, play on its strengths…it is a technicoloured superhero cheese fest, so make it 60s!!!
@ 60 – I agree, I was about as good as I expected it to be (save for some of the raaaaandom music choices), but I don’t think its going to be anywhere near as good as Blade Runner nor have the historical iconic status…because its not that style of film! Its just toooo excesive, and it had tounge in cheek and comedy moments at times when it reaaally wasnt supposed to, like the Ride of the Valkyries scene…why!?
41. Hat Rick –
“I personally liked Watchmen, except that I couldn’t understand why Dr. Manhattan would change his mind about humanity simply based on Silk Spectre II’s personal drama.”
*SPOILERS:
The point was *supposed* to be that she successfully appealed to the last lingering vestiges of his humanity — and that gave him the impetus to attempt to save humankind — he realised part of himself was still one of them afterall.
But, yeah, Snyder was too concerned about making it look like the comic he didn’t think what subtle changes he may have needed to make to get that point across. I don’t think he thought about the script at all.
@61…
Fantastic Four was produced by Bernd Eichinger as a tax evading scheme…
Man O Man. I sure do wish there was some info on BSG in here! :p
watchmen was decent. but it also felt alot like “The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen”.
I was entertained, but not enough to pay to see it again. if a movie is going to be sucessful it should get there by word of mouth, and reviews.. not from directors, or producers begging fans to watch it again.
hmmm i wonder if that tactic would have helped save Nemesis
#66
Had to get a BSG reference in, didn’t ya? You little stinker! ;)
I agree, though I think Watchmen was better than TLOEG (then again, it would be hard for it not to be). Word of mouth was always going to hurt Watchmen, I think this is just a desperate, last ditch effort to try to make sure that the 2nd weekend dropoff isn’t as devastating as they know it likely will be. Good luck.
When the original writer tells you it can’t be done, maybe we should listen to them. I’ve only liked 2 adaptations of Moore’s work – V for Vendetta and From Hell – and neither was terribly ‘faithful’ to the source book.
65. thorsten –
Like “Springtime for Hitler”?
@68…
hehe, I did not see that one, Izbot…
but Mel Brooks The Producers was quite good
;))
66. steve-o –
“watchmen was decent. but it also felt alot like “The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen”.”
The movie version of LoEG wasa travesty — a movie marketed to nitwits by nitwits about characters from British literature! The comics assumed you were well-read enough to know the characters and their historys already — the movie assumed the audience was illiterate and had to introduce each character by having them spout their TV Guide abstract: “I’m Captain Nemo, brooding genius captain of the submarine Nautilus from that movie with the giant squid.” I put it in the same category as that inane “Van Helsing” nightmare.
70. izbot.
yeah i mean it wasn’t an exact parallel to watchmen. however i really just felt as though they had the same kinda feel to them.
with the characters, the hokey-ness i couldnt help but feel as a result of the translation from literature to film.
again- i was entertained. but i definitley don’t think it lived up to the hype
Arnold’s great at Termination. He and the state legislature have terminated thousands of teachers in California. They cut where no one should cut, uh before…
The quote from David Hayter doesn’t include this gem from the end: “Trust me. You’ll come back, eventually. Just like Sally.” I think he’s implying I got raped the first time I saw it.
Here are the studio estimates for the weekend
1) Race to Witch Mountain $25M
2) Watchmen $18.07M
3) Last House on the Left $14.658M
Better than initial estimates. So as long as their Sunday projection holds, it looks like the weekend drop will be less than 70%.
Thanks for the tip, Thorsten, at 51. Good comments about Watchmen all around.
64, I agree with you that the rationale for Manhattan’s conversion should have been made clearer in the movie, despite the fact that it might have been clear enough in the novel.
I think that the fundamental moral ambiguity of Watchmen is what distinguishes it from most movies featuring superheroes. Manhattan might be all-powerful, but he’s not all-caring. He’s most beyond caring. He basically has seen it all and wants little more to do with it — which, if you think about it, is a perfectly rational idea. Wasn’t it in the movie in which he said that saying that Veidt was the world’s smartest man was equivalent to an insect saying that he was the world’s smartest insect? Manhattan himself has evolved beyond humanity, and in the end, he proved it, despite a last-minute change of heart, by flying off to the another galaxy.
(Which brings up a naive question, actually, in my mind, about the Field Subtractor device: After Veidt unsuccessfully attempted to destroy him using that device, Manhattan stated that one of his first skills was to reassemble himself, but wasn’t that skill used in connection with the initial device, which was not, however, a subtractor? I can’t quite remember the nature of the accident that created him, so this is a question from ignorance on my part.)
From a literary standpoint, Manhattan is intended to be Superman, were Superman real, instead of a Christ figure. Manhattan had no father to tell direct him toward patronage, so he had no reason to care. Manhattan, for all he knew, WAS “god,” and like “god” considered as the absent watchmaker, he left humanity to his devices, having been bored to tears by human foibles and folly. It is interesting that Manhattan’s last act on Earth was one of destruction — the killing of a fellow crimefighter, Rorschach, for reasons of concealment and deceit.
And it is here that the full dimensions of the film’s nihilism shows itself: Peace between powers is built upon great lies, which are themselves built upon death and destruction. Millions died so that billions could live — so that stupid men in presidential palaces could justifying backing down from their testesterone-induced fantasies of domination and mutual assured destruction.
For the reality behind this, one need only note that it was the sainted Ronald Reagan himself who said, as a historical fact near the height of the Cold War, that if only it were that an alien force were to confront mankind, then the United States and the Soviet Union would set aside their differences and unite against a common foe.
Even today, there are those who long for a new cold war, against a new enemy, against people unlike us, and who beat the drums of war.
Who, then, is to tell us that Watchmen is pure fantasy, rather than a sly commentary on what is real, and what is not?
71. steve-o –
Since Watchmen was supposed to be the anti-superhero story Snyder should’ve retained the elements that backed that up: The hero’s should *not* have appeared so slick and ready to appear as action figures. Instead of the overweight schlub he is in the comic, Nite Owl II looks a hell of a lot more like movie Batman complete with cutting edge gadgets and dramatic MTV-video entrances. Ozymandias is given an anachronistic rubber body armor outfit complete with nipples (anachronistic since the story is set in 1985 and the rubber body armor for superhero’s debuted in movies with Tim Burton’s “Batman” in 1988 and the rubber nipples long after that). Comedian’s horrifying facial scar in the comic is toned down in a move I can only speculate was to retain his superhero-ness. This move is incredibly stupid in my thinking. In the comic Comedian ends up wearing essentially an S&M zipper-mask to conceal his identity after his disfigurement. Harvey Dent in “Dark Knight” proves the disfiguration from the comic could’ve effectively been done in the movie but it wasn’t so the Comedian retains his original look throughout (and the face-cutting scene in the movie looses some of it’s impact). Strange that that scene of ultraviolence that is actually in the comic is toned down when tons of blood and gore not in the comic were shoehorned in! Silk Spectre I looks like an aging millionnaire, impeccibly dressed sipping martinis as opposed to the decidedly less glamourous depiction of her in the comic — haggard, always in an old lady nightgown, never getting out of bed in a modest retirement home. Even Rorschach looked less filthy. And for heroes who haven’t worked or, presumably, trained in almost a decade Silk Spectre II and Nite Owl II don’t miss a beat — in fact, they seem to have superpowers what with throwing thugs through brick walls and breaking bones as effortlessly as they do.
Instead of anti-superhero we get the same old Hollywood glamourization of ‘masks’ we been used to for at least a decade or two. I just don’t think Snyder ‘got’ the graphic novel.
75. Hat Rick –
“For the reality behind this, one need only note that it was the sainted Ronald Reagan himself who said, as a historical fact near the height of the Cold War, that if only it were that an alien force were to confront mankind, then the United States and the Soviet Union would set aside their differences and unite against a common foe.”
And of course that quote informed Ozymandius’ original plot in the graphic novel — but changed for the movie version. I miss the squid-creature.
Also, given Watchmen’s R rating, if Joe and Mary Sixpack are taking little Johnny and Susie expecting a fun time for the whole family, I think that speaks volumes about Joe & Mary, not the marketers trying to get every butt possible into the seats.
So sad that “Kyle XY” is ending tomorrow. DDD: I’ve seen every episode since season 1, episode 1!!!
KYLE x AMANDA FOREVER, NO MATTER WHAT THEY SAY.
54. Izbot
Yeah, that should read “nearly one year”. My mistake.
The bite about the Hitchhiker’s Guide boook should probably read “a sequel” or “a follow-up”.
We’ll get it taken care of.
77 (Izbot), the blame for the destruction of major cities is placed on Manhattan in the movie, making Manhattan something of a sacrificial lamb and therefore ennobling him in a sense. Am I mistaken in this? Doesn’t this dilute the movie’s central theme — that superheroes really can’t be trusted to care? Or does it, on the other hand, do the opposite, and show that Manhattan couldn’t care less that he’s blamed for the deaths of millions?
Food for thought. I like that in a movie.
I know it’s a cliche, but George Lucas should either let another producer/director take over the “Star Wars” franchise or simply let it go. Lucas has clearly lost his fastball.
Lucas runined the greatest franchise of all time with his childish vision of the prequels and everything that has come since. I can’t imagine how juvenile a live action “Star Wars” series in his hands will be.
76. Izbot: ‘Instead of anti-superhero we get the same old Hollywood glamourization of ‘masks’ we been used to for at least a decade or two. ‘
Brilliant remark! Sounds like something someone would say in the comicbook. I’m at Chapter 10 in my reread right now! :)
I feel bad that so many people dont want to sit through watchmen just because its a long movie that requires you to think. I think that Dark Knight was similar, but they had the freedom to put enough action shots into it to keep people glued. But even it got ignored when it came time for the Oscars. I dont think its good for movie makers to plead with people to see the movie more, though. I tell people I know to see it if they havent, but I give fair warning, theyre wise to read the comics first and to expect a movie that’s way more condensed than it should be.
#84 That’s insulting. I don’t want to sit through the Watchmen movie because it’s a long movie that “requires me to think”, because I’d be better to spend the same 3 hours and save $10 by re-reading the original material which “requires me to think, *and* pays off for the effort.”
Even Moore agrees with me.
#85
I don’t mind a movie that makes me think, the problem was all Watchmen made me think of were all the other ways I could have spent those 3 hours.
A couple comments:
1. I’ll go see Watchmen to save that producer’s behind when he goes to my web site and places an order to save my house.
2. Best quote to describe the new live-action Star Wars TV series: “I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”
2a. Note how many comments there were about the Star Wars series in the 86 comments before this one. That should tell you something.
Lessee… Spidery-Man 4… can tha’ Vulture get a shot? Why, fans would “flock” ta’ see a geriatric dukin’ it oot wit’ Spidey… And who doesn’t want ta’ see young Parker beat up an olde man? Oh, my… that’s not good at all… AARP will protest…
“Let fly these aged wings…”
And Kenny Branaugh doin’ Thor? Hmmmmm… Branaugh made me favourite Hamlet film… I watch it o’er and o’er again until I hallucinate Fortinbras in a well defended brassiere…
Speakin’ o’ that, I’ll burn me bra afore I watch anymore new Starry Wars… then me man-boobs will sway oh-so-defiantly waitin’ fur somethin’ REALLY new on tha’ horizon… How aboot “Starry Nap” in which we chronicle tha’ slumberin’ astronaughts on a three hundred year journey ta’ Alpha Centauri as ta’ find better catfood fur’ earth? Or maybe makin’ a film from tha’ “Mote in God’s Eye”…
Oh, well… Lovejoy is back on tv with a new show “Kings” this weekend…
Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr…
@88…
Mote in God’s Eye… excellent idea, BND.
And Me big fan of Thor Kenny!
84. Will_H,
I have to admit that I was put off by Watchmen’s long running time, but I was also almost completely unfamiliar with the story as well, despite my attempts to get caught up. Those two factors combined in my decision out to see it.
From comments on ths thread, I get the impression that Watchmen tried to be both true to its’ roots (to some extent) and yet appeal to as broad an audience as possible, and never quite succeeded at either. In trying to do both, the movie seems to be undermining itself if the is the case. Truth be told, from every review I’ve heard or read, just about the only thing everyone liked was Jackie Earle Haley’s Rorschach.
84. Will_H… “I feel bad that so many people dont want to sit through watchmen just because its a long movie that requires you to think. I think that Dark Knight was similar, but they had the freedom to put enough action shots into it to keep people glued.”
It probably has more to do with the problem that of the comic book / superhero movies, only about 1 in 5 is any good, and the previews for “Watchmen” make it look very much like one of the four stinkers. For every “Dark Knight” there is a “Spider-Man 3″, “Ghost Rider”, “Daredevil”, and “Fantastic Four”. Worse, the studio is trumpeting that “Watchmen” is by the guy who made “300″. “300″ was mediocre at best, with migraine-inducing CGI.
I’ll wait for “Watchmen” to show up on HBO, thank you very much.
Okay, Mr. Spielberg, another foreign body from the heavens promises to threaten Earth by bringing death and destruction from the stars.
How many rip-offs have to be made before you start your production of “When Worlds Collide?”
re: 92 my comments reference the upcoming tv mini-series “The Meteor.”
Thorsten and I give a good “Arrrrrrrrr” then ta’ Kenny doin’ Thor…
Should be good, mates… manna from Valhalla…
Arrrrrrrrrrrr…
They’re actually going back to Riddick? Was “Chronicles” successful enough to warrant another sequel?
I have to admit, I liked “Pitch Black”, but “Chronicles” was just too different and too much.
Fascinating….
@94…
well, BND, Thorsten means Hammer of Thor,
and Emma Thompson once told me Kenny and I are Lookalikes…
;))
92… “How many rip-offs have to be made before you start your production of “When Worlds Collide?””
Or how about filming “Lucifer’s Hammer”?
61
“But I’m sure they’ll go with something more akin to Ultimate FF and it’ll bomb again. I really hate Hollywood.”
Sometime I do too. I’m still kind of peeved that Brad Bird or somebody at Pixar for not giving credit to Marvel, even in an interview, for what were very clearly Marvel inspired ideas in “The Incredibles. Bird claims to have never read comics. If they do go the Ultimates rout I’ll say, blech, yuch, pooey. Ultimates, my foot.
65
If that’s true then that’s another example of doing something your heart’s not in and it not turning out well. Had so many good elements. Chiklis was great.
#85 – “Even Moore agrees with me.”
These days, Alan Moore is a bitter old troll with an axe to grind against Hollywood and DC Comics. He hasn’t seen a single frame of Watchmen, condemning the whole project before a single scene was shot. So his “opinions” about movie he knows nothing about mean absolutely nothing. If he had any decency, integrity or plain common sense, he would at least see the movie (I’m sure he could score a free copy so he wouldn’t even need to dirty himself by paying for it) before dismissing it.
I saw it last weekend and thoroughly enjoyed myself. It was an entertaining and visually striking film with some great performances (even the film’s detractors have lauded Jackie Earle Haley’s Rorschach) that was also very very faithful to the book. While certain parts were omitted and the end was changed slightly, those alterations in no way affected the film’s tone and underlying themes and messages, which all translated successfully from the original source. It is slow at times and it does juggle a lot of characters and subplots, but it is accessible, even to those who haven’t read the comic.
99, I never read the graphic novel, and I had little difficulty following it.
I did find Nite Owl II rather Batman-like, to be sure, and as someone said, his tiptop physical condition (and SS II’s, for that matter) didn’t seem to fit in with the superheroes-on-the-wane plotline that the rest of the movie conveyed. Also, I do agree that Veidt might have been somewhat miscast.
However, the movie itself was enjoyable enough.
Hell, with all this talk about the movie, I just might see it again, after all.
99. TonyD – March 15, 2009
“These days, Alan Moore is a bitter old troll with an axe to grind against Hollywood and DC Comics.”
That sounds like what many people say about Harlan Ellison and City on the Edge of Forever! I don’t blame Moore one bit for condemning the film without seeing it. He’s been right about all the previous awful attempts at translating his works to film and he’s ultimately right about this one. Truth is, DC Comics holds the rights to many of his works and Moore can’t stop Hollywood from raiding the toybox. League of Extraordinary Gentlemen? Horribly ruined by Hollywood. From Hell? Ditto. V For Vendetta? Same thing. Even Constantine was based on a character Moore originally created for his Swamp Thing comics and that movie was equally terrible.
I’m glad you enjoyed the film but don’t diminish its’ creator because he doesn’t want to see it. His distaste for Hollywood comes from many unpleasant experiences. He’s not even doing interviews or anything condemning the film, he’s simply distancing himself from it.
Watchmen is a very good film. I too was skeptical about watching it, but was rewarded with a great film.
In all honesty, anyone who passes this one up is doing themselves a dis-service.
Moore hasn’t said one nasty thing about ‘Watchmen’. In fact, he agreed to never even discuss the subject so long as they left his name off of it. Seems like a pretty reasonable compromise, given his history with the studios & previous adaptations.
I’m as much of a “person of The Dark Knight” as anyone could ever possibly get and yet I have no interest whatsoever in Watchmen. *shrug*
It doesn’t matter how talented a director they get, the next Twilight movie can’t be any good if they crank it out less than a year after the first one. It’s just a cash cow.
…I didn’t even mention in #101 that awful “Return of Swamp Thing” and subsequent short-lived TV series it spawned — all in the wake of Moore’s celebrated run in the comic (the first Swamp Thing movie, also bad, was made before Moore’s involvement). RoSW managed to turn one of the flat-out scariest comic series produced into an unwatchable parody on par with “Scary Movie” and its’ ilk.
i swear, if not for the scarring, Mickey Roarke would look exactly like Kiefer Sutherland right now