ROTTEN TOMATOES: Zack Snyder Talks "Watchmen": "More 'Taxi Driver' Than 'Fantastic Four'" Comments

Zack Snyder Talks "Watchmen": "More 'Taxi Driver' Than 'Fantastic Four'"

by Fred Topel | February 11, 2007

Summary

"Watchmen" has been one of the longest in development comic book properties. If even Joel Silver couldn't get it made, it's clearly a tough one. Zack Snyder ("300") is gearing up to make it happen, and he appreciates that nobody else got it done first. Back to Article

(1-12 of 12 posts) | Reply

dagreenman18 writes:
on Feb 11 2007 03:33 PM

please don't let it fail, I would be so freaking pissed.

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kfarschman writes:
on Feb 11 2007 07:52 PM

After seeing "300" we'll get a better idea of what Snyder is capable of. I really can't base an opinion about him just from the Dawn of the Dead remake. But just the fact that Frank Miller seems okay with him is a positive.

I can't imagine how pissed Alan Moore will be if his masterpiece is messed up.

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the-russian writes:
on Feb 11 2007 08:27 PM

In reply to this comment (#855434)
Moore's not going to be happy, regardless. And that makes you wonder how much respect Snyder truly has for the story. Part of me is thinking, "how much of an appreciation can he possibly have for the story," since he's going against the creator's wishes and translating it to film, really "stealing" it in a sense, since all of this is being done without Moore's consent. But another part of me believes that Snyder is thinking that this film is going to be made eventually, sooner or later, and thinks that he can come closest to portraying it accurately, and wants to make it so someone else doesn't f*ck it up.

But quotes like this put serious doubt in me:
"I think that by setting the movie in '85, by having the Cold War, having Nixon, having all that stuff, you sort of reinvigorate what the story is about."
SORT OF REINVIGORATE? That IS the story. It's simply not an option to do it any other way.

But I agree. He did an excellent job on the Dawn of the Dead remake, but ultimately 300 will be the best measure of what he's capable of (which is looking to be f*cking amazing so far, but we've still gotta' see it to be sure). Meanwhile, I've got my fingers crossed.

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Vitamin M writes:
on Feb 12 2007 08:04 AM

If I love 300 as much as I think I will then I can't wait for watchmen....wow that was a worthless comment huh?

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elcid08 writes:
on Feb 12 2007 08:08 AM

I have read that Snyder has been picked to head the Rainbow six movie...I WANT MORE NEWS ON THAT!!!

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FireflyFan4evr writes:
on Feb 12 2007 10:41 AM

Alan Moore will throw a hissy fit regardless. At least Frank Miller recognizes the challenges a filmmaker encounters, and is willing to let his work adapted, if done true to the story but in a different medium.

However, it is true that only V For Vendetta has been successfully adapted from Moore's work, so I really don't blame him. I still think this (and Y: The Last Man) would work better as an HBO mini-series or series.

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the-russian writes:
on Feb 12 2007 12:13 PM

In reply to this comment (#855438)
Aha, V for Vendetta adapted successfully, huh? You either didn't read the same book I read or see the same movie I saw. After seeing V, I truly understood why Moore doesn't want his material translated to film.

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lrm8 writes:
on Feb 12 2007 12:19 PM

I agree with firefly, watchmen is simply more suited for an hbo style miniseries, or possibly two movies with a climax (dr.manhattan goes to mars?) in the middle... there is no way that watchmen in its entirety can fit into a two hour movie. its just too big. that being said, snyder seems to be saying all the right things, at least to me.

either way, it sounds like the studio isnt giving snyder the backing he needs to make the best of this project. hopefully 300 kicks some ass at the box office like we all think it will, the studio will give snyder a little extra juice for watchmen

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Conehead2187 writes:
on Feb 12 2007 12:34 PM

While I like the idea of a minimalist approach to this, there are just some things you can't get around. And removing essential parts of the plot isn't going to help either.

I do feel that it would be better adapted into a miniseries, since the story itself is very episodic.

But on the subject of casting, who could play these characters?

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Concrete Block 15 writes:
on Feb 13 2007 10:58 AM

[b]HURM.[/b]
DOUG HUTCHISON IS RORSCHACH!

Go check out:

http://uk.rottentomatoes.com/vine/showthread.php?t=528686

Never Compromise.

(Reply to this)

QuantumOverload writes:
on Mar 04 2007 09:21 PM

[b]Okay... Just Listen[/b]
First of all, has anybody read the synopsis... they're calling them super humans, and say that they're banding together. What the hell is that? It seriously freaks me out, I'm so afraid that they are going to screw this up.
(Oh and Firefly, Y should never be touched by any sort of media other than comics, NEVER!)
Also, on the whole miniseries thing, it would be cool, but the whole point of Watchmen was to make the world think... not just the people with HBO. I'd rather see a movie, and see how it was done.
There are two things that are really bothering me on the film adaptation deal:
#1. Dr. Manhatten DOESN'T WEAR CLOTHES!!! There is a lot of full frontal in the comic book, what are they going to do about that? They can't just give him clothing, that throws a lot of things off.
#2. Are they just going to cut "Under The Hood" out? I really hope they don't, because the whole thing with Moe made me cry so hard I didn't know what to do with myself. There is important info in the long writing portions, how are they going to include that?

I have so many more questions, but I'll just wait, and hope that they will be answered.

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kegs686 writes:
on May 12 2008 06:18 PM

Im gonna have to say that Watchmen translated into a movie would not do the graphic novel justice. It is such a great story and to put it into a movie would remove so many things that makes the novel as good as it is

(Reply to this)

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