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WATCHMEN NOW AT WARNER BROS.
by Newsarama
It’s either “Finally! A Watchmen movie is going to be made!” or “Another studio gets to try to make a Watchmen movie,” as The Hollywood Reporter confirmed what was first reported by Entertainment Weekly in its Oral History of Watchmen to be coming, that is, Warner Bros. is now the home for a possible film version of the Alan Moore/Dave Gibbons graphic novel originally published by DC in 1987.
Having been in talks to be turned into a movie nearly since its publication, the filmic history of Watchmen plays like a Hollywood who’s who: Initially, the film was set up at Universal in 2001 with David Hayter to adapt, Mark Gordon producing; then it moved to Paramount in July 2004 with Hayter and Gordon, and now Darren Aronofsky attached as director; Araonofsky left the project in November of ‘04, and Paul Greengrass came on as director. Production was slowly beginning in London early this year, when Paramount shut it down in June, reportedly due to the film’s budget and dark tone not meshing with Paramount’s new management.
In the interim, Time Warner. has been working to revitalize DC Comics’ status within the larger entertainment field (read: not just comics) as well as streamline and simplify its relationships with other WB families. Given the new view of DC within Time Warner, many observers felt that it was only a matter of time until Warners landed the Watchmen project when Paramount killed it in June.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Warner Bros. is looking for writers and talking to directors. Gordon, who holds the rights to the film version, is most likely still attached as a producer. From THR: “Starting from scratch is not being ruled out as the studio would like to attract big-name stars. Paramount has the right of first refusal to co-finance the eventual picture.”
Given Moore’s current view of movies based on his comics though, his name will most likely not appear in anything to do with the film, as, due to being displeased with the project, has had his name removed from the upcoming film version of his and David Lloyd’s V for Vendetta (also produced by Warner Bros.) that’s due in theaters on March 17th.
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