Watchmen set for release March 2009

Posted on July 22, 2008
Filed Under Comic book / Animation, Movie News, Upcoming Releases | Leave a Comment

One of the biggest superhero movies set to release in 2009 the “Watchmen” released it’s official trailer this weekend at the beginning of “The Dark Knight”. Originally a twelve -issue DC Comic written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Dave Gibbons that was released as a monthly limited series from 1986 to 1987. It was then released in the graphic novel format.

The premise of the story provided courtesy of “Wikipedia”:

The story is set in an alternate 1985 where superheroes exist, Richard Nixon is still president, and tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union are at an all-time high. The vigilante Rorschach is investigating the murder of the Comedian and uncovers a plot to discredit and murder various heroes. Rorschach discovers a far wider-ranging conspiracy involving his colleagues’ past which could completely change the course of history.

The main characters and actors playing them provided courtesy of “Wikipedia”:

* Patrick Wilson as Daniel Dreiberg / Nite Owl II: A retired vigilante superhero with technological experience. John Cusack, a fan of the comic book, expressed interest in the role. Wilson did not read the comic until he was offered the part, and loved it. Wilson put on weight to play the character, instead of wearing a fatsuit.

* Billy Crudup as Dr. Jon Osterman / Doctor Manhattan: A superhero with genuine powers who works for the U.S. government. The role was once pursued by actor Keanu Reeves, but the actor abandoned his pursuit when the studio held up the project over budget concerns. He later visited the set while filming The Day the Earth Stood Still, an experience which he enjoyed. As well as playing Osterman in flashback as a human, Crudup wore a white motion capture suit covered in blue lights for the computer-generated Manhattan. Crudup had to keep thinking of the character in the comic, because he felt ridiculous in the suit.

* Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Edward Blake / The Comedian: A vigilante superhero who is commissioned by the U.S. government. Prior to Morgan’s casting, producers Lawrence Gordon and Lloyd Levin met with Ron Perlman to discuss portraying the Comedian. Morgan found the role a challenge, explaining, “For some reason, in reading the novel, you don’t hate this guy even though he does things that are unmentionable. [...] My job is to kind of make that translate, so as a viewer you end up not making excuses to like him, but you don’t hate him like you should for doing the things that he does.”

* Jackie Earle Haley as Walter Kovacs / Rorschach: A superhero who continues his vigilante activities after they are outlawed. He was transformed over time from a “soft” costumed hero into a killer who sees the world in black and white. Haley and fourteen friends put together his audition, where he performed scenes from the comic. Rorschach wears a mask with ink blots that morph to reflect his emotions: motion capture markers were put on the contours of Earle Haley’s blank mask, for animators to create his ever-changing expressions. Haley found the mask “incredibly motivating for the character” because of its confining design, which heated up quickly. Small holes were made in the mask for him to see.

* Malin Akerman as Laurie Juspeczyk / Silk Spectre II: A retired vigilante superheroine. Åkerman described her character as the psychology and the emotion of the film due to being the only woman among the men. The actress worked out and trained to fight for her portrayal of the crimefighter.

* Matthew Goode as Adrian Veidt / Ozymandias: A retired vigilante superhero who has since made his identity public. The role of Ozymandias was originally connected to actors Jude Law and Tom Cruise, but they left the project behind due to the studio’s delay in handling the budget. Goode was not familiar with the comic when he was cast, and read it at the urging of his friends. He joined the critical consensus, saying “it’s the best graphic novel out there”. He had his own interpretation of Veidt’s backstory, in that he gave up his family’s wealth and travelled the world, becoming a self-made man because he was ashamed of his parents’ Nazi past. Goode suggested Veidt disguised his German accent to highlight the themes of the American Dream and the difference between one’s public and private personas.

* Stephen McHattie as Hollis Mason / Nite Owl: The first vigilante to take up the mantle of Nite Owl.

* Carla Gugino as Sally Jupiter / Silk Spectre: A retired vigilante superheroine, mother of Laurie Juspeczyk. Gugino’s character ages from 25 years old in the 1940s to 67 years old in the 1980s, and the actress wore prosthetics to reflect the aging process. Gugino described her character’s superhero outfit as an influence of Bettie Page-meets-Alberto Vargas. The actress donned the trademark hairdo of the character, though it was shaped to be more plausible for the film.

* Matt Frewer as Edgar Jacobi / Moloch the Mystic: An elderly rehabilitated criminal, known when he was younger as an underworld kingpin and magician.

* Niall Matter as Mothman: He is not a main focus of the storyline, but appears in flashbacks, at one point reduced in his later years to fragile sanity, unnerving the second Silk Spectre. He is regarded fondly by most of the Minutemen, and the first Nite Owl sends the second to visit him, uncostumed, on his behalf.

The initial preview looks awesome for this movie and should have the same grittiness and artistic/graphic violence we got to see in “Sin City” and “300″.

Let me know if you are looking forward to this movie or any other thoughts you may have on the “Watchmen”.

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Filmography links and data courtesy of The Internet Movie Database.