ComicBookResources wrote:WHO WATCHES THE BATMAN DVDS?

So, how are the "Watchmen" movie legal shenanigans going to shake themselves out? Let Lying In The Gutters give you the exclusive.

Currently the situation has Fox filing suit against Warners and other connected companies over the rights to produce and distribute the upcoming "Watchmen" movie, based on contracts signed a considerable while ago. And it appears that they have a very good case indeed.

But do Fox really want to make a “Watchmen” film of their own? Do they want the money from the Warners “Watchmen” film? Do they want a cut? A payoff? Or just holding up a rival?

None of the above. Sources tell me that Fox want the 1960s Batman TV series. Currently Fox own the TV footage, but Warner Bros own the characters and trademarks, via their ownership of DC Comics. The rights to a DVD release have been held up for a long time now, and this case looks like it may be the instrument to release them.

Oh, Fox will get a wodge of cash as well - many millions of dollars it seems. But it seems they also want the rights to release the Adam West-starring Batman on DVD, something long denied fans of the series. And Warners will get the “Watchmen” film, to release as planned.

There were comic fans who threatened Fox boycotts over what they saw as their scuppering of the Watchmen movie. Looks like they may soon have cause to thank Fox for this action.

There is one film that Moore is supporting right now. It's the new DVD release entitled "The Mindscape of Alan Moore" and it's an artfully executed documentary that is built entirely around Moore sitting in his somewhat spooky living room and ruminating about art, storytelling, magic and culture. The movie was made by Dez Vylenz, who was still a student at the London International Film School when he sent Moore a letter expressing interest in creating a documentary film on the writer as his senior project.

That project went well and, several years ago, the filmmaker and the author decided to do it again for a film that would be released to the public. Vylenz has intercut images and used visual effects that give the film a psychedelic swirl and shamanistic textures (it reminded me a bit of the sensibilities of a Godfrey Reggio film, such as "Koyaanisqatsi," but on a far, far smaller scale production-wise).

"It was very enjoyable to sit there in a chair and talking and talking and talking because, as anyone who knows me for even an hour will tell you, that is my second nature. The idea of it -- just me talking -- sounded incredibly boring to me but Dez Vylenz is very talented and if there is anything about the film that is not a success, I would blame the flaws of its central character." The film was made in 2003 but is just now reaching stores, with a Sept. 30 on-sale date as a two-disc DVD from Shadowsnake Films.

klimov wrote:At least one person isn't looking forward to it...

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/herocom ... -on-w.html

VH1 wrote:'Watchmen' Set Visit: Zack Snyder's Enthusiasm, The Owl Ship And ... The Village People?
'We incorporate the world of reality and the world of the Watchmen and mesh 'em together,' director says.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — It is the most beloved graphic novel ever written and arguably the most anticipated film of 2009. It tackles philosophy, theology, superhero mythology and pirates with equal aplomb and was named by Time magazine as one of the greatest English-language novels ever written.

Hollywood has attempted to capture the complexities of "Watchmen" numerous times over the past three decades, only to be left at each turn declaring it unfilmable.

When MTV News visited the set of director Zack Snyder's epic flick last December, we were quite literally dropped into Alan Moore's beloved comic book (walking past Bernard's newsstand, the Gunga Diner and the Institute for Extraspatial Studies as if they were your local Starbucks). During a scene set in 1977, legendary den of inequity Studio 54 was hosting a party with attendees such as David Bowie, Mick Jagger, the Village People and a certain celebrity superhero by the name Ozymandias.

So what was "Match Point" star Matthew Goode doing standing outdoors in the middle of the night, clad in tights, surrounded by several hundred barely clothed extras and being snapped by fake paparazzi? "I honestly don't know," Goode laughed. "I think I'm just getting out of a car and [giving a] thumbs-up."

"Studio 54 is not in the comic book, but to me, 'Watchmen' is about pop culture devouring itself," said Snyder, the endlessly energetic director who ran around on this particular evening repositioning coke-addled partygoers and the Village People's shivering, shirtless Indian Chief imposter as if he were a kid with the world's biggest toy box — all in the name of a brief shot that will appear in the film's opening credits. "In our alternate reality, we incorporate the world of reality and the world of the Watchmen and mesh 'em together. It's a quick little vignette, but you'll see what it does in the movie."

The motto on set seemed to have gone from "Who Watches the Watchmen?" to "Zack Does!," as everyone simply had to trust the vision of the man who once swore to Warner Bros. that no-name, practically naked actors and green screen sets would make "300" a hit. In the months since he wrapped, the filmmaker's love for his source material seems to have once again paid off, if the film's eye-popping advance posters, trailers and footage are any indication.

"I play the character of Dan Dreiberg, who's also known as the Nite Owl — well, Nite Owl II, actually," "Lakeview Terrace" actor Patrick Wilson grinned, holding up a comic to profess his own fidelity to the source story of heroes who find themselves outlawed by the U.S. government and hunted by an unknown assassin. "It's the pinnacle of all graphic novels. ... I was blown away by it. And to see our script being so faithful to the graphic novel is a real testament to all the writers, really. And to Zack keeping a real focus on this story and wanting to tell this story, which is very hard. ... I'm a fan of all the other comic book movies, but to see how real and human these characters are, and the real problems that they have, is interesting to play."

As we took a walk down the street from Studio 54, we found ourselves transcending space and time, much like the clock-obsessed Jon Osterman. Down the street was the early '70s seedy Vietnam bar where the Comedian (Jeffrey Dean Morgan from "Grey's Anatomy") will get his face slashed by a pregnant woman wielding a grudge and a broken beer bottle. Around another corner was Ozymandias' Antarctic lair — quite possibly the largest set this reporter has ever set foot on. A few blocks away was the cemetery where Dr. Manhattan (Billy Crudup) and the others would soon gather for the Comedian's burial.

"I'm playing Adrian Veidt, a.k.a. Ozymandias, who is one of the richest men in the world and one of the smartest men in the world," Goode explained. "He has this double life. Everyone in America thinks that they really know him, and he was one of the first Watchmen — well, apart from Hollis [Stephen McHattie as Nite Owl I] — to admit that he was one of the masked heroes. But he's very morally ambiguous. He's got his fingers in a lot of pies, a bit like Donald Trump. But I'd say it's all meant to be a business mirage, you know, to take people's minds off of what he's actually, really doing — which is the darker part of my character."

From Veidt's business efforts to Nite Owl's impotence to the sexual assault of Silk Spectre I (Carla Gugino) and Dr. Manhattan's general ennui toward the human race, all the Watchmen seem to harbor darkness in their pasts. In short: This ain't no "Fantastic Four" flick.

"I love 'The Incredibles.' It's like one of my favorite movies, and 'Heroes' is a great show, and yes, [Zachary Quinto's Sylar] has a watch fixation," Snyder said, insisting that the dozens of movies and TV shows that have ripped off "Watchmen" since its 1986 publication won't make his film seem any less revolutionary than the comic was 22 years ago. "But these metaphors are about nuclear war and morality, policing people and dealing with what I would consider much more human — real human — problems."

Such complexity and ambition were all the more obvious as we witnessed another scene that will be a mere blip in the movie. Shooting the aftermath of a burning building before actually setting fire to it, Snyder directed largely improvised, news-style interviews with extras for a scene in which Dreiberg, Silk Spectre II (Malin Akerman) and Rorschach (Jackie Earle Haley) are forced into action to save some civilians.

Reporter: We heard rumors that these people were actually saved from this fire by some kind of Owl Ship — can you confirm that?

Policeman: Well, when I did arrive, there was a ship in the air. These people said they were dropped down from the ship.

Reporter: Did you get a good look at the ship?

Policeman: Uh, no. I just saw the taillights as it was going up into the sky.

Reporter: Could you tell what kind of propulsion system, or ...

Policeman: It's hard to tell. It's not like anything I've ever seen.

After Snyder yelled "Cut!," he dismissed the gang. "Nice," he said. "That's enough of that. Let's go do Manhattan. Perfectly done, guys." He then sprinted off to film a scene set decades earlier, in which Crudup will blow up a bunch of gangsters foolishly pulling tommy-guns against his nuclear-powered superman.

"Thank you," Snyder said to the extras as he ran off, perhaps also referring to us as we say goodbye until we encounter his characters once again in the theater March 6. "We'll see you in the fire!"

w00t wrote:14 Spoilers For Watchmen: The Movie

1. Comedian displays Wendy’s new Low Carb Weight-Watchmen Bacon Burger Wrap in every shot he’s in.
2. Bubastis voiced by Patton Oswalt.
3. Dr. Manhattan hung like a treasonous sailor.
4. Rorschach replaced by Inky and Blotto, the WatchTwins.
5. “Tales of the Black Freighter” will star Ted Lange and Congressman Fred Grandy.
6. Bruce Willis has been dead the whole time.
7. “Who Watches Your Heart? (Love Theme)” performed by Phil Collins, Elton John, & Sting.
8. To save time, Captain Metropolis and Arwen merged into the same character.
9. Sure-to-be-controversial kiss between Spider-Man and Green Lantern.
10. Centerpiece scene now an extended skateboard chase through Manhattan, with cameo by Tony Hawk, featuring “Who Let The Dogs Out?”, “All-Star”, and “I Like To Move It” playing simultaneously.
11. Lego Watchmen video game in stores in time for Christmas.
12. Final fifteen minutes will introduce Nite Owl III and Son of Rorschach.
13. Hooded Justice played by Alan Moore. “Just kidding, everybody – I love this movie!” he says on opening night, bouncing like a schoolboy at Christmas.
14. Coming in 2010: Watchmen! The Musical, directed by Julie Taymor.

SciFi.com wrote:Watchmen Gets Shorter

Zack and Deborah Snyder, the husband-and-wife directing/producing team behind the upcoming Watchmen movie, told SCI FI Wire that the film's final length hasn't yet been approved, but that it is getting shorter.

"We're getting really close," producer Deborah Snyder said in a telephone interview on Nov. 18. "We're at two hours and 35 minutes."

Director Zack Snyder added: "The movie's pretty long ... compared to 300, which was an hour and 58 minutes. The director's cut [of Watchmen] is about three hours and 10 minutes long. It has even more than the theatrical version, as far as the detail that gets even closer to the graphic novel."

Zack Snyder has been trying to be as faithful as possible to Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' seminal graphic novel, which tells a complex story of superheroes in an alternate-universe 1985 New York. The graphic novel interpolates other comics and book excerpts into its narrative, something Zack Snyder has been trying to approximate in his film as well.

Zack was shooting an animated version of the graphic novel's comic-within-a-comic, Tales of the Black Freighter, which is envisioned as a separate DVD release coinciding with Watchmen's theatrical debut in March. Eventually, his plan is to edit the Black Freighter material directly into Watchmen, presumably for a home-video release.

"The Black Freighter version of the movie that we're working on--which has the ins and outs of the Black Freighter comic book woven through it, with an animated version of the Black Freighter--will be about three hours and 40 minutes," Zack said. "So there's a huge epic version of Watchmen, which will probably come out after the movie's theatrical release, for hardcore [fans]."

Fans of the graphic novel know that a minor character in Watchmen reads "Marooned," an issue of Tales of the Black Freighter, in which pirates of the title pirate ship wreck a young seaman's vessel, stranding him on a deserted island. Surrounded by the bodies of his dead shipmates, the mariner concocts a gruesome plan to make his way off the island in a desperate attempt to reach his home, wife and children ahead of the pirate ship.

"As you watch it, you can have this experience where it's like the graphic novel," Zack Snyder said. "I haven't shied away from trying to enjoy the artwork. It's been fun to make some of those pictures real." Watchmen opens March 6, 2009

Judge In 'Watchmen' Case Rules For Fox; Fans Brace For Fallout
Dec 26, 2008, 01:12 PM | by Jeff Jensen

Categories: 'Watchmen'

You know how Santa Claus gives lumps of coal on Christmas Eve to those who’ve been very, very naughty? Well, so do judges. In a twist befitting the comic book in question, the judge presiding over the legal battle for distribution rights to Watchmen found in favor of Fox. The bottom line: Warner Bros. had absolutely no right to roll film on Zack Snyder’s adaptation of the Alan Moore/Dave Gibbons superhero classic. As fans wait to see if the ruling will prevent the film from being released as scheduled on March 3, Fox and Warner Bros. are waiting to see if the court will determine how much Fox should get for being so wronged -- unless the studios decide to settle the matter themselves.

The ruling comes as a surprise to Hollywood observers, mostly because no one expected the judge would issue this ruling at all. The conventional wisdom was that Warner Bros. and Fox would settle privately, and the rightness and wrongness of the situation would never be officially called. Moreover, on Dec. 16, the judge set a Jan. 20 trial date for the dispute, saying he had no intention of fulfilling the request of both parties to issue a summary judgment. Why? Because, he said, the darn thing was just too complicated!

But on Christmas Eve, Judge Gary Allen Feess reversed course and issued a ruling that was clear and decisive. Why did he change his mind? Because Fox and Warner Bros. asked him to. In the wake of Feess’ Dec. 16 edict, both studios pressed him to reconsider and issue a summary judgment, saying that settling this thing between them was all but impossible because they needed his guidance on interpreting an old contract between Fox and Watchmen producer Larry Gordon. That paper appears to indicate the following: Fox has always had the right to distribute a Watchmen movie; anytime Gordon put together a new version of a Watchmen movie (which is to say, develop a new script or snag a new director for the film), he had to offer Fox the chance to produce and distribute it; if Fox passed on the project, Gordon had the right to purchase Fox’s interest in Watchmen and take the project elsewhere.

More details on the ruling and what it means after the jump...

In his ruling, Feess concludes that Gordon never properly presented Fox with the option to produce and distribute the version of Watchmen developed by director Zack Snyder. He also makes it clear that neither Gordon nor Warner Bros. had bought out Fox’s interest before Warner Bros. went into production. Indeed, Feess’ ruling includes a rather sarcastic footnote blasting Gordon for his conduct in resolving this dispute. In section 3, Feess remarks that during Gordon’s deposition, the producer claimed he couldn’t properly recollect his contract with Fox. Feess seems so dismissive of Gordon’s allegedly faulty memory, he makes the following side ruling: Should Gordon suddenly remember some salient bit of information that could now help Warner Bros.’ cause, he should go back to conveniently forgetting about it. “[T]he court will not, during the remainder of this case, receive any evidence from Gordon that attempts to contradict any aspect of this Court’s ruling on the copyright issues under discussion.”

Feess' plainspoken declaration that Fox has always been in the right on this matter should represent vindication for the studio. Since Fox filed its lawsuit earlier this year, Watchmen fans and entertainment bloggers (including myself) have questioned why Fox waited until Snyder wrapped production before laying claim to the movie. Our questioning, of course, rested on two assumptions: 1. There was no way Gordon and Warner Bros. could have been so dim as to shoot a movie they had no right to make; and 2. If Fox was so possessive of Watchmen, how come it didn't try harder to stop Warner Bros. from wasting millions and millions of dollars on a movie it had no right to make? But as EW subsequently reported, Fox’s lawyers did contact Warner Bros. prior to Watchmen's production with the goal of resolving the matter and allowing Warner Bros. to roll film with a clear conscience -- albeit one purchased, no doubt, at great expense.

Nonetheless, fanboy vitriol toward Fox for daring to meddle with a movie they have long wanted to see continues to this very day. Just check out aint-it-cool-news' report on Fox's victory; the site's message boards are currently chockablock with choice, colorful words aimed at Fox and its top exec, Tom Rothman, who has become an unpopular figure because of Fox’s spotty track record with genre material under his leadership. Yes, many of them have been huge hits (X-Men; X-Men 3; I, Robot; Fantastic Four), but many of them haven’t (The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Daredevil, Elektra, The Day The Earth Stood Still), and with few exceptions (most notably, X-Men 2), none of them have made the hardcore sci-fi/comic book fans very happy due to the studio’s penchant for short running times, stingy budgets, and adaptation choices designed to make the material more mainstream-friendly. For them, Fox’s desire to lay claim to Watchmen gives them an excuse to vent. Some fans have even been calling for a boycott of Fox’s Wolverine next summer if the lawsuit should effectively delay Watchmen’s release indefinitely.

But does any of this really have anything to do with Watchmen? Absolutely not. With Feess’ decision, Fox’s lawsuit -- and its victory -- should be seen as an important move that really benefits all of Hollywood, as it affirms copyright laws that protect all studios. Fox deserves a break on Watchmen; according to Feess, their beef with Warner Bros. has always been legit.

How much will being right ultimately be worth to Fox? Perhaps a lot; perhaps nothing at all. Warner Bros. has been asking Feess to make one more crucial ruling in this case. The judge articulates the studio's request like this: “[T]o summarily adjudicate the issue of a contractual cap on the amount of compensatory damages to which Fox is entitled.” Now, I am no lawyer, but here’s how I might rephrase Warner Bros.’ position: “Let’s pretend for a moment that Fox is right in this matter. Judge, could you help us decide a fair price for Fox’s rights? Because we can't.” Perhaps all along, Warner Bros. has been gambling/banking that the judge will "adjudicate" a relatively affordable price for Fox's rights, or at least put a price tag on it that's much lower than the one Fox has been putting on it. As Feess has said that a longer version of his Christmas Eve ruling is forthcoming, perhaps the question of value will be determined at that time.

In the meantime, there are anxieties, questions, and theories: Will Warner Bros. appeal? If it does, Watchmen’s release could be held up by months. If Warner Bros. doesn’t appeal, what will Fox get in return? A cash payout per Gordon’s original contract? A cash payout plus penalties? A share of Watchmen’s total revenues? Might Warner Bros. settle the lawsuit by selling or ceding the film to Fox? If Fox got control of Watchmen, would they release Snyder’s film in its current 2 hour 30 minute form, or would they order him to (gulp) trim it or (double gulp) make changes?

To be continued…

LA Times wrote:Fox, Warner Bros. to let judge settle 'Watchmen' distribution dispute

Lawyers for 20th Century Fox and Warner Bros. have agreed to let a federal judge decide whether Warner Bros. will be allowed to release "Watchmen" this spring, forgoing a jury trial that could have put the high-profile film's future into even longer limbo.

In court papers filed Monday with U.S. District Judge Gary A. Feess, attorneys for Fox and Warner Bros. jointly said they would let the judge decide Jan. 20 whether Fox could block the film's theatrical distribution, now scheduled for March 6, as Fox has been seeking all along as part of its copyright infringement lawsuit against Warner Bros.

In a preliminary ruling issued Dec. 24, Feess said Fox, and not "Watchmen" producer and distributor Warner Bros., owned the right to distribute the film. Warner Bros. is a unit of Time Warner Inc., and Fox is owned by News Corp.

In his December ruling, the judge urged the warring studios to negotiate a settlement, but no deal has been reached. Any potential trial on remaining parts of the lawsuit would be postponed until after the Jan. 20 hearing about the film's distribution status, the studios agreed in Monday's filing.

Expected to be one of the spring's most-anticipated films, "Watchmen" has a long and sometimes troubled Hollywood history. Fox bought the movie rights to the graphic novel about postmodern crime fighters in 1986, and former Fox studio chief Larry Gordon began developing the movie as a producer.

The project has passed through several directors and studios over the years -- including Universal Pictures, with David Hayter set to direct, and Paramount Pictures, which gave it to Paul Greengrass to make -- before landing at Warner Bros. with director Zack Snyder. But Fox argued in its lawsuit, and the judge agreed, that Gordon never obtained the necessary rights from Fox.

"We are gratified by the recognition of our rights in the judge's order, which speaks for itself," Fox said in a statement Tuesday.

Warner Bros. said in a statement: "We will continue to pursue all of our legal options to defeat Fox's meritless claims and remain confident that we will ultimately prevail."

THR wrote:Larry Gordon has say on 'Watchmen'
Blames Fox for debacle in letter to judge

Larry Gordon is tired of being the villain in the "Watchmen" dispute.

In an unorthodox move, the veteran producer has fired off a lengthy letter to U.S. District Court Judge Gary Feess blaming Fox and his then-lawyers for the debacle and offering his version of events that led to the court's ruling that Fox owns distribution rights to the Zack Snyder-helmed comic-book adaptation.

Feess' Dec. 24 decision found that Gordon, who is not a party to the case, did not secure proper rights to "Watchmen" from Fox before shopping the project and setting it up at Warner Bros. The judge also said Gordon had "refused to testify" to key questions during his deposition and, as punishment, would not be allowed to have his voice heard on "any aspect" of the case.

Gordon had remained silent since then but fired back Wednesday, stating in a letter filed by his litigation lawyers that he has been subjected to "significant public scorn" for his role in the studio battle and arguing his case that he answered deposition questions "to the best of his knowledge."

Feess refused to read the letter, issuing a terse one-paragraph response later Wednesday that called it an "improper communication" in violation of court rules.

In the letter, Gordon defends his actions during the negotiations of two key agreements with Fox during the early 1990s and in the course of the litigation. He also lays out several pages of evidence showing his responses to deposition questions.

"Mr. Gordon clearly testified that he does not recall any conversations he had with representatives of Fox in or about 1994 relating to 'Watchmen,' " the letter states.

Gordon is referring to a 1994 turnaround agreement signed by Gordon and Fox that allowed him to shop the project. During negotiations for that agreement, Gordon argues that he and apparently his attorneys were unaware of a 1991 quitclaim agreement that granted Fox distribution rights to the film and a share of profits if Gordon made it elsewhere.

Feess ruled that Gordon did not fully control "Watchmen" because he failed to reimburse Fox its development costs and to resubmit the project when key creative elements changed.

Gordon claims in his letter that during those negotiations, Fox sent his lawyer, Tom Hunter at the firm Bloom Dekom, a chain of title that did not include the 1991 quitclaim.

"It is Mr. Gordon's position that the execution of the 1994 turnaround agreement was the result of either a mutual mistake by both parties or a unilateral mistake made by his counsel, on which Mr. Gordon relied," the letter says.

Fox, Warner Bros. and Gordon's attorneys declined comment Thursday.

The development comes as the parties are scheduled to meet in Feess' courtroom today to determine a timeline for Feess to decide whether to issue an injunction blocking Warners' planned March 6 release of the potential tentpole.

Several sources have said settlement discussions are heating up, but both studios denied late Thursday that an agreement had been reached in the stalemate.

Also Thursday, "Watchmen's" other producer, Lloyd Levin, lashed out against Fox in an open letter screed posted on the Web site HitFix.

LA Times wrote:Behind Rorschach's mask in 'Watchmen'

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As Rorschach in the anticipated 'Watchmen,' Jackie Earle Haley, once forgotten, has the chance for true movie immortality.

Reporting from Vancouver -- The fiery prison riot scene was over and, mopping the sweat from his brow, actor Jackie Earle Haley was heading back to his trailer in seach of some lunch. It was a crisp fall day in 2007 on the set of " Watchmen," the most challenging comic-book movie project ever filmed, and Haley was trying to soak in every heroic moment. "I'm just happy to be here, to be part of something like this," said Haley, a child star in the 1970s ("The Bad News Bears," "Breaking Away") who saw his film dreams fade as he ended up driving a limo, delivering pizzas and doing other odd jobs.

After more than a decade off the Hollywood grid, Haley surged back on the scene with his Oscar-nominated performance as a sex offender in the 2006 film "Little Children," and with "Watchmen," may have the opportunity to deliver another memorable character. "This is one of those roles that stays with you a long time, for the actor and the audience," Haley said of Rorschach, the grim vigilante at the center of the epic movie, which brings to life the landmark 1986 graphic novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. The actor added muscle and went into dark areas to essay a hero who is more like "Taxi Driver's" Travis Bickle than Batmobile owner Bruce Wayne.

"The one thing that's super difficult about this part is to find that place of release," Haley said. "Actors continually need to push away all inhibitions, and you need to reconcile your mind with where the character is. You need to find the moment and communicate." And then there's the really hard part: "I have to do all of that with a sock over my head."

That costume challenge is part and parcel of the modern superhero cinema; the sector's ambitions are far higher today than in years past, as "The Dark Knight" and "X-Men" proved, but there's still that nettlesome matter of those capes. Moviegoers of a certain age still think of Adam West when they see a masked man. No superhero film is trying to push further away from that camp than "Watchmen," an R-rated epic that tells a multi-generational fable about a violent fringe tribe not unlike, say, "GoodFellas." For the uninitiated, "Watchmen" is a revered masterpiece for comics fans and has frequently been described as "unfilmable," a word even director Zack Snyder ("300") has used with a smirk while talking about his film, scheduled to hit theaters in March.

Not only is the source material challenging (there's the scope of the story and its especially lurid take on heroes), but the property followed a notoriously difficult path to the screen. The story begins in the 1980s. Snyder's challenge has been not only to present an alternative America that has a rich and complicated history involving two generations of masked-and-caped crime fighters (though there's only one truly super-powered being, Dr. Manhattan) but also one where Richard Nixon is in his fifth term in the White House.

And even now, the release date of the Warner Bros. film may be subject to change because of a legal challenge by rival studio Fox, which once held rights.

Also, Moore, viewed as an iconoclastic genius in comics, has taken his name off the project because of his entrenched antipathy for Hollywood and all of its pursuits. "I will be spitting venom all over it," Moore told The Times in September, adding that he views the tale as "inherently unfilmable." There's that word again.

Despite the turbulence, there has been massive fan interest. At the heart of "Watchmen" is a murder mystery: Who killed the thuggish hero who called himself the Comedian? Rorschach -- who mutters, wears a strange, blotchy mask and is viewed as a nut job even by his costumed peers -- is the tenacious follower of clues that lead to a plot that could kill millions. Snyder said he purposely went for actors whose faces are not locked into the public imagination.

"I think if you have a Tom Cruise, someone of that stature of fame, it makes it harder to present this other world and keep the viewer right there in it," the director said.

Snyder said no character is more important than Rorschach, whose name hints at the psychological undercurrents that made the graphic novel so gripping. The filmmaker said he "is easily one of the greatest comic book characters ever," and that's a view shared by many fans and the press that serves them. Last year, Wizard Magazine, the most popular publication for American comics fans, ranked Rorschach as the sixth-greatest comic-book character ever, right between the Joker and Captain America.

Haley, meanwhile, is poised for a big year with a role in Martin Scorsese's "Shutter Island." "I can't tell you how much you appreciate things when you come back through a second time, when you get that kind of chance," Haley said.

Even when you have to wear a sock on your head?

"You know, actually, there was something very empowering about the costume, about that mask and the way you feel when you wear it," Haley said. "At one point, we were filming a cemetery scene and I looked down and I saw my shadow -- the coat, the hat, the mask -- and I had this powerful jolt. 'That's Rorschach.' The costume is the challenge, but the costume is also the power."

THR wrote:Dust settles in 'Watchmen' dispute
Attorneys for Warners, Fox appear in court Friday

Lawyers for both Fox and Warner Bros. announced in federal court Friday morning that the "Watchmen" case had been resolved.

"The matter is fully and finally settled," Fox's attorney Louis A. Karasik said after Judge Gary Feess said he had read a lot about the settlement in the newspapers but noted "there is noting in my docket."

Fox's attorney said that a stipulation for dismissal would be filed later in the day.

Karasik also said Fox thanks "the court for the careful management of the case," the long hours of consideration put into it and for working over the Christmas holiday. (Feess made his ruling that Fox owned distribution rights to the movie on Dec. 24.)

Feess accepted the thank you's, quipping that Warners might not feel the same way, to which Warners attorney Steven Marenberg said: "We also thank you for the time you spent on the case."

Like all good superhero battles, or even Hollywood movies for that matter, the door was left open with a slightly ominous portent that another villain could be lurking around the corner.

"It may be over between the two of you," said Feess, "but who knows what else will show up one day?"

Cue the John Williams music, start prepping the sequel.

VH1 wrote:'Watchmen' Director's Cut To Hit Theaters In July, Zack Snyder Reveals On MTV 'Spoilers'
At the taping of 'Spoilers,' Snyder said the release of his three-hour version hinges on the movie's success.

To quote the immortal words that serve as inspiration for "Watchmen" super-genius Adrian Veidt: "Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!"

The works unveiled Wednesday night at the Pacific Design Center for a taping of MTV "Spoilers" (airing this Saturday at 8 p.m.) included sneak peeks of the new "Transformers" and "Harry Potter" sequels, "Star Trek" and the entirety of "Watchmen." Despair, however, was the last thing on anybody's mind.

The crowd of more than 300 guys, girls and geeks that packed the design center — many wearing T-shirts and pins bearing the graphic novel's blood-stained smiley-face logo — were greeted by My Chemical Romance and "Watchmen" stars Billy Crudup, Patrick Wilson, Malin Akerman, Matthew Goode, Jackie Earle Haley and Jeffrey Dean Morgan and saw the eagerly anticipated flick weeks before its release. Afterwards, "Watchmen" director Zack Snyder took to the stage with MTV's Tim Kash for a Q&A filled with revelations, riotous laughter and references to Dr. Manhattan's crotch.

"When I originally got the script, Adrian died at the end," the "300" filmmaker said, recalling one particularly sacrilegious rewrite that scared him into realizing he'd better direct "Watchmen" if he wanted Hollywood to stay true to the 1986 graphic novel. "That was the biggest fight for me."

Based on the response from the "Spoilers" crowd, Snyder's battles are well appreciated.

On the sexy nude scenes between Akerman and Wilson: "They're not too hard to look at," Snyder grinned. "It's not like they're big, fat people."

On his most beloved directorial tool: "Slow-motion helps me to enjoy the face-smashing even more."

And on his gutsy decision to tweak the graphic novel's conclusion: "The reason why the squid was taken out of the movie was so there'd be more Rorschach, and a little more Manhattan."

As fans lined up in the aisles to ask questions of the affable filmmaker, he revealed new details about his various cuts of the film, eliciting oohs and aahs of anticipation.

"The director's cut is three hours and 10 minutes and comes out in July," Snyder revealed, calling his original edit "considerably more violent than this ... and sexier" and explaining that if the movie does well, the director's cut will get a theatrical release in Los Angeles and New York.

Following that, of course, will be the "Watchmen" DVD in the fall — which will include what he dubbed a "Crazy Ultimate Freaky Edition" boasting such time-omitted extras as "Tales of the Black Freighter," Hollis Mason's death, more Manhattan moments on Mars and dialogue-heavy scenes with the newsstand-bonding Bernies.

But first comes the March 6 theatrical cut of "Watchmen," a hard-R flick that rocked the "Spoilers" crowd. "I have been waiting to see this movie for 20 years," one heartfelt fan told Snyder during the Q&A. "And I just wanted to say thank you for totally making it worth the wait."

The fans did much more than merely watch the Watchmen on Wednesday. "Star Trek" actor Zachary Quinto recorded a special greeting that unspooled on the big screen for the cheering "Spoilers" crowd, followed by some new footage focusing on the skills of director J.J. Abrams. There was also a hilarious, never-before-seen clip of "Land of the Lost" that had Will Ferrell performing the classic show's cheesy theme on a ukulele. And Messieurs Harry Potter and Optimus Prime also came to the party bearing gifts.

On Saturday at 8 p.m., you can join in on all the "Spoilers" fun yourself. But before then, keep an eye on MTVNews.com, Splash Page and the Movies Blog, as we'll be rolling out our interviews with the "Watchmen" cast, as well as the Q&A that had Snyder comparing his official smiley-face pin with Tim Kash's homemade version.

VH1 wrote:Zack Snyder Explains His Key 'Watchmen' Changes On 'Spoilers'

'There is a couple of things, I think, interesting about the ending,' director teases, getting into the spirit of our sneak-peek movie special.

When Zack Snyder came to the taping of MTV's movie special, he knew the name was "Spoilers." And sure enough, host Tim Kash didn't disappoint as he hosted a Q&A for the 300 lucky "Watchmen" fans in attendance who had just seen the film three weeks before the rest of the world.

"The ending," Tim said. "Discuss."

"Where should I start?" the affable "300" director laughed, more than willing to go where most filmmakers never would.

The thing is, "Watchmen" is based on the greatest graphic novel ever written. And the director made what might be the single bravest move in the history of Hollywood when he agreed to shoot the "unfilmable" movie — which came out so lovingly reverential to Alan Moore's source material that huge chunks are refreshingly loyal to his nihilistic, anti-commercial, ultra-violent tale.

As sacrilegious as it might be to say, however, Snyder wasn't afraid to change some key "Watchmen" elements and make them more cinematic. And — spoiler alert! — he was happy to talk to us about his different-than-the-novel ending.

"There is a couple of things, I think, interesting about the ending," Snyder explained to our audience, making reference to the giant alien monster he removed from Moore's story. "One, if you want to know about the squid — well, he makes a small appearance. If you notice, [Dr. Manhattan's] reactor is actually called the Sub Quantum Unifying Intrinsic Device. You see that sign [with the S.Q.U.I.D. acronym] if you look carefully in Adrian's [lair]; it's in the consoles, and it's also behind the thing when it gets teleported."

A cool Easter egg to be sure — but for fans who want a better explanation, Snyder obliged: "The reason that the squid got taken out of the movie was so there'd be more Rorschach and a little bit more Manhattan. Because we did the math, and we figured it took about 15 minutes to explain [the squid's appearance] correctly; otherwise, it's pretty crazy."

So, with the studio's requests that Snyder keep his "Watchmen" movie as brief as possible given the novel's complexity, the squid bit the dust. He did, however, have enough time to fully explore the steamy love story between Patrick Wilson and Malin Akerman — and depict the duo's characters fully exploring each other.

"Was it somewhat awkward to film that scene with Night Owl and Silk Spectre in Archie?" a "Spoilers" audience member asked Snyder.

"Awkward in what way?" the director laughed while discussing the nude scene. "It is always awkward when you have people that you know as friends. ... When they're casual buddies, it's like, 'Hey, that was awesome yesterday how we played football. That was cool. Now, do you mind taking your clothes off?' That's really hard. But they're pros, and they helped me out ... and the other thing is that they're not too hard to look at."

And speaking of nudity, Snyder also laughed with the fans during several questions about the fact that Billy Crudup's aloof, God-like superhero Dr. Manhattan has moved so far beyond humanity that he often doesn't even feel the need to wear pants.

"I said this from the beginning; I warned the studio," Snyder grinned, making reference to Crudup's little Billy. "Part of John's character is that he doesn't care anymore, so why should he put clothes on when he is not connecting with humanity? I said, 'He is just going to be naked.'

"The hardest part was just ... " he paused, choosing his words carefully. "There is a meticulous design in the film; you have to carefully observe every aspect of this movie. I hope I don't have to go into more detail than that. [Studying Manhattan's crotch] was more awkward, by the way, than the other [Nite Owl/ Silk Spectre nudity] thing. But Billy's happy, so it's fine."

Clearly, Snyder's attention to detail throughout "Watchmen" — from the information-overload opening credits to the in-joke programs on Ozymandias' TV sets to Crudup's crotch — were greatly appreciated by the die-hard "Watchmen" fans in attendance at our "Spoilers" taping. One of the more touching moments of the evening, in fact, came from a questioner who loved the film so much that the man asked Snyder how to become a filmmaker like him.

"This is a serious question, and so I want to take it seriously," Snyder began, clearly touched. "[The most important thing] for anyone who picks up a camera and decides to film any sort of story is that they feel strongly about it. The most important thing is to just do it your way, because no one knows that perspective but you, and it's the point of view of a movie that makes it cool.

"Just do it your way," the "Watchmen" filmmaker finished, looking back on his experience navigating the dangerous, contradictory waters of studios and superfans. "Trust yourself."