io9
Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' Watchmen is one of the greatest graphic novels of all time — but it's also tied to its Cold War origins in a huge way. So one of the biggest questions about the movie adaptation has been how fetishistic director Zack Snyder (300) will update the movie for a post-Cold War audience. And most importantly, will he change the movie's psychedelic shock ending? And now, thanks to an extra who worked on the movie, we have our answer: the movie makes slight changes for awesomeness, but sticks lovingly to the book otherwise.
The movie's extra, writing for Comic Related, has also provided a virtual "tour" of the movie's sets. We've already seen pictures of the Watchmen sets and a video of their building, but the extra took a ton of pictures of the whole block of buildings that were built for exterior shots. You can see quite how run-down and destroyed these buildings look, which adds to the sense of a dystopian New York. There's even a complete map of the sets that were built. I've labeled all the pics, to make it easier to figure out what is what:
These are just a few of the set pics. To view all of the pics, go here and here.
And our intrepid extra also spilled some plot details.
- The supplemental material at the ends of each chapter in the comic will be reproduced as newsreels, either in the opening credits or interspersed throughout the film.
- The scene between Nixon and Kissinger, discussing Dr. Manhattan leaving Earth and the tensions with Russia, has been reproduced using prosthetics to make the actors resemble the real-life figures. They hear about a potential doomsday scenario for the East Coast of the U.S., and Nixon cackles, "Let's see those bastards at Harvard figure a way out of that one." There may actually be a limited nuclear strike.
- We'll see Rorschach's tragic childhood in detail, and Zack Snyder's son plays the young Kovacs. We see the whoring mother, the bullies and the eventual employment in the garment industry where Rorschach finds his mask. We also see Rorschach use his "interrogation methods" in a bar, resulting in broken fingers. And Snyder has "upped the ante" for Rorschach's confrontation with Big Figure (Danny Woodburn): as in the comic, Rorschach binds Big Figure's henchman's arms in the cell door — but in the movie, Figure's other flunky cuts the guy's arms off with a circular saw. Rorschach makes his escape the same way as in the comic, and Big Figure dies off-camera in the restroom.
- Veidt's domed Antarctic retreat appears in the movie, but there's no greenhouse, and he doesn't murder his three accomplices. Nite Owl and Rorschach have to walk to Veidt's retreat from Owl's ship, instead of using hoverbikes. Dr. Manhattan will crash through the ceiling of the retreat, and he'll be 100 feet tall. Veidt catches the bullet Laurie shoots, but doesn't break Nite Owl's nose with a plate. Veidt fights Nite Owl, Rorschach and Laurie at the same time. And Rorschach meets his "explosive demise" at the hands of Dr. Manhattan. (Update: Not Veidt as we erroneously reported before.)
- And finally, the biggest spoiler: "The squid is in." The climax of the graphic novel, where Veidt unleashes his "hideous brainchild" on New York, has been filmed.
Comments
I hope "explosive demise" is a metaphor, and Rorschach and Veidt actually hug it out.
Well, points for balls, I guess.
Wow, Snyder casting his soung as child-Kovacs is pretty creepy. Like somewhere between "Something Stupid" creepy and "Lemon Incest" creepy. I think I like it.
And by "soung" I mean "son". That was weird.
How is it that I never noticed how *ahem* anatomically correct the "alien" in Watchmen looks? Granted, it's been a good 15 years and I've known the touch of a woman since I first scoped that panel.
I've suspected for years that all comic book artists believe the only way to truly terrify comic geeks is to make the alien/monster/Big Bad resemble a woman's vag. This just confirms it
@moff: I always felt that what Watchmen needed was a conflict resolution seminar.
Sort of sounds like they're deemphasizing Dr. Manhattan and legitimizing Veidt as the quintessential "bad guy".
Veidt kills Rorschach? Hrmmm... I guess it's not the worst change to make, although it seems kinda unnecessary. Besides that, mad props for keeping the rest the same.
Aww, shit. Rorschach's demise was one of the things that tied the whole damn ending of the book together!
Grrr... I know it's such a little thing to get upset over, but it's an important part of the story!
As much of a monster as Rorschach had become, he still died for what he believed in, not in some final climactic battle!
...oh god oh god please don't disappoint me...
" 'Do it?' Dan, I'm not a Republic serial villain. Do you seriously think I'd explain my master-stroke if there remained the slightest chance of you affecting its outcome? I did it thirty-five minutes ago."
And maybe "Yes. Yes, he killed Blake and half New York. Excuse me, Rorschach. I'm informing Laurie ninety seconds ago."
If they are leaving that in, I can deal with Rorschach being killed by Adrian instead of Dr. Manhattan.
Did not see that one coming.
I agree about Rorschach's death. It should be the same as in the books. It is way more powerful that way, having Veidt do him in just does not sit right.
So, why does it need to be "updated"? Isn't the point of a piece of literature like this to make you think about the time it took place in?
Not saying this is a deal-breaker, but maybe cause for a little concern...
@Gyrus: Yeah! They should totally use that dude that helped Metallica with their conflict issues.
During a late night diner visit, my friend and I actually wrote out a plot for watchmen 2, having viedt kill Rorshach will destroy my canon, I cant let you do that Snyder.
But seriously, I'm looking forward to this, it will be a good film, even if it isnt a good Watchmen film.
Well they should have kept to Dr. Manhattan killing Rorschach as in the comic book...
That scene actually IS crucial to the plot in the ending.
@dOk: I'm sure that plot will be condensed right outta there. Canon, shmanon. If Moore isn't involved, out goes canon. In any case, there is simply no way to reproduce the effect of the protracted release of the original book over more than a year... still my favorite read. They will have a heck of a job building any kind of crescendo in 2 hours.
The Saturday morning cartoon show that will spin-off from the success of the movie will be titled "Wolverine and the Watchmen".
And it will be terrific.
^^ With Slimer? Or maybe Rorschach and his Amazing Friends?
The squid is in?!
one of the best lines I've heard in a while.
@spacemango: I imagine a Matrix style fight between Rorschach and Viedt. All done in slow motion. With fat giants with hands for blades for some reason.
And maybe a car chase or too. "Click Click Boom" playing in the background.
Fucking Snyder.
I had heard that the ending was going to be significantly different, glad to hear it is mostly the same, though I remain wary of this adaption.
Agreed: Manhattan needs to kill Rorschach, that really drives it home more than having Viedt do it. I've been wondering about Dr. Manhattan... he's the only one I have not seen production photos of... and will they include the scenes on Mars? I've been thinking surely Snyder can't include EVERYTHING. Would Mars be cut? Kind of a shame.
I am just all boo on this movie. Would've just worked better as an HBO series, but also? Alan Moore is pretty clear on not wanting his stuff pimped out into movies, only he has no legal rights over his babies-- can't anyone just ixnay this shit out of respect for the man?
Rorschach should be killed by Dr.Manhattan at the end.
It gives time for Rorschach to pull off his face and face his death like a man.
@pheagan: Yeah but he has no problem selling them knowing full well he loses any artistic control, typical artist, sign away the rights then bitch when it doesn't match what he would have done...
I agree that it should have been an HBO series though, wife and I were discussing that just last night.
I agree with everyone here: Rorschach needs to die by Dr. Manhattan. That scene is the punchline the two BEST characters in the book. Rorschach's absolutist morals: "No, not even in the face of Armageddon. Never compromise." And Dr. Manhattan going "I can't let you do that" as if he is the arbiter of what's good for humanity. Changing that would be like having Hamlet not die at the end.
The Mars scene is a bit slow but pretty crucial in developing Laurie and Dr. Manhattan. It can be done easily with CGI, depending on what their budget is.
I loved that Veidt was not the one to kill Rorschach in the graphic novel. It helped to underpin the fact that the others -- including Lauri and Night Owl -- basically just went along with Veidt at the end. Rorschach was the one making a stand for justice and accountability, and they just let him die.
the squid is in!! awesome.
@Epaminondas: @Epaminondas: Well, I believe what happens is that he has to sign away the rights to the publishing company, like every writer. There's just no way you can keep the rights when writing for DC and Marvel, which is the reason his stuff coming out now is under different presses. So he never had the rights to begin with, and he was writing a lot of these comics before making them into movies was a big thing. And apparently he signs over his checks to the artists, because he truly won't have anything to do with the movies. I don't think he's been hypocritical at all.
But yeah. HBO series all the way.
i was trawling the internet for watchmen information and i came across a feature at comic book movie dot com (annoying isnt it) its very similiar to your above spoilers (almost word for word actually) except it says that "For those fans already starting to grind their teeth at these alterations, perhaps you will take comfort in the fact that Rorschach will meet his explosive demise at the hands of Dr. Manhattan - no alterations there"
which poses the question who is reporting poor information or who is lying to generate blog activity to boost their seo hmmm
@foozwak: No SEO boost intended... I think there may have been an honest mistake. I just looked back at the comicresources article, and I think you're right. Either they changed it since I looked at it for the first time or (more likely) I mis-read. Either way, I'll change the post now. Thanks for catching this error, and sorry about the mixup.
"Nite Owl and Rorschach have to walk to Veidt's retreat from Owl's ship, instead of using hoverbikes. "
Damn, no hoverbikes.
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