Who Watches the Watchmen? Interviews & Trailer!

"Watchmen is the only graphic novel on Time Magazine's greatest novels of all time list. It's the crime book that changed the way the genre is perceived.” - Zack Snyder

During my years of working in the industry, there have been movies that are far bigger than most. Batman Begins. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. The Lord of the Rings. All of these have generated super-charged excitement for months before their release. But the anticipation for one upcoming film blows them all out of the water...

Watchmen

For years it was thought that the seminal graphic novel, created by writer Alan Moore, artist Dave Gibbons and colourist John Higgins, was utterly unfilmable. That its sprawling themes of corrupt superheroes, international politics and cultural anxieties, all set within an alternative '80s America where Nixon is President, was just too complex to be translated onto the big screen.

Yet, on March 6, 2009, Watchmen will finally hit cinemas, to be devoured, debated and dissected by a mammoth legion of fans and newcomers alike.

But before then, I’ve got some goodies for you. Paramount have sent over that kick-ass trailer, which you can check out at the bottom of this page. And was lucky enough to attend a screening of some Watchmen footage (the opening sequence, Dr Manhattan’s creation and Rorschach’s prison break – all awesome), where director Zack Snyder and graphic novel artist Dave Gibbons were in attendance. Here’s what they had to say about the movie…

Zack, why did you think you were the right guy to tackle Watchmen?

Zack Snyder You love comic books and you wish for them to grow up with you. With Watchmen I got that experience. [It had] complex characters and a way of dealing with things comic books usually did not. I didn't have that ego, possessiveness of 'I should make this into a movie' when I read it. It existed as it was. But I felt like if I didn't do it someone else would, and it would be my fault if it didn't work. At least if I did I and it didn't work it would be my fault on purpose!"

Why make the movie now?

ZS I think enough time has gone by for it to be a period piece!

Dave Gibbons Its set far enough back in time that it's not trying to be contemporary. That period of time in American history is a colourful one!

Exactly how do you pitch Watchmen to people who haven’t read the novel?

ZS When I read a book I don't want someone to tell me what it is before I've read it. We have this craze in Hollywood for superhero movies and I believe that a mass culture audience already ready for another superhero movie. Pop culture audiences are ready to have their shit shaken up a bit when it comes to superhero movies.

I mean, my mother knows that Peter Parker got bitten by a radioactive spider and became superman. She has no business knowing that! It's in the culture. It's my hope that a general audience will have their minds blown because it fucks with all their mythology.

How do you feel about writer Alan Moore not wanting to be involved?

ZS When I got involved Alan has asked that his name not be on it. It was a big deal for me because I am a big fan, but out of respect I've honoured his wishes

DG Alan has had bad experiences with Hollywood and has made up his mind that he doesn't want that to happen again. It's a shame because I'm having a great time!

Paramount was originally concerned with the adult content. How did you deal with that?

ZS [I said to the studio], ‘You know how you said it was going to be a PG-13? That's a problem for me. There's really cool sex in the movie and violence that I don't believe is appropriate for kids!’ Its like, Superman could get all the world leaders in a room and say, 'If you don't behave, I'll kill you' But he doesn't. He gets cats out of trees. It seems to me that if you can go all the way, you go all the way.

But you were under pressure to make it less controversial?

ZS There has been pressure. But, I mean, you can't blur Dr Manhattan's penis! Look, I have a great relationship with the studio. They understood what I was trying to do. I never said, 'Hey, look at my art film, I don't care if anyone sees it' But I wanted to say true to the book and give the audience a different experience to Spider-Man.

I understand the business model. The last thing the studios wanna do is sex and violent cos then less people could see the movie. I feel the marketplace and viewers want a reason to go to the theatre. They are saying, 'show me something else'. I hope Watchmen gives them a little bit of something else."

Excited? You damn well should be.