Access Blogs
Access Video Blogs
The Crown Jewel Panel Of Comic-Con -- 'Watchmen'!
Every year at Comic-Con, there's at least one panel that you don't wanna miss. These panels start the buzz for big-budget genre movies, and that buzz can make or break a film long before it makes it to the big screen. In 2006, "Spider-Man 3" started the ball rolling, and in 2007, it sure as hell worked big time for "Iron Man."[Pictured left: Actresses Carla Gugino, left, and Malin Akerman, right, pose for photographers after a panel discussion for the new movie "Watchmen" at the Comic-Con 2008 convention Friday, July 25, 2008 in San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)]
This year, it's "Watchmen." That name may not mean anything to the masses, but for the Comic-Con crowd, Watchmen is the Holy Grail. When it was first released as a 12-issue maxi-series starting in 1986 (and re-released later as a bounded graphic novel), it broke new ground because of its dark, violent, realistic and more mature depiction of flawed superheroes that weren't so super after all. Co-creators -- writer Alan Moore and artist Dave Gibbons -- took readers through an alternate 1980s reality where Richard Nixon was still president and the doomsday clock was ticking against the backdrop of New York.
In short, it was the "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" of comics. And now, director Zack Snyder is directing a big screen version for release in March of 2009 (ironically, 2 years to the day after Snyder's stylish epic "300," also based on a comics graphic novel, broke new ground).
If the comics read like an R-rated movie, then Snyder confirms that the film version will follow suit -- it's violent, disturbing, graphic, bloody and very R-rated.
And contrary to many special effects-laden superhero movies these days, most of the film was shot using real sets and not using green-screen.
Hall H was packed with 6,500 fans on Friday of Comic-Con; each eager to
see what Snyder's gonna do with "Watchmen." Cast members Patrick
Wilson, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Matthew Goode, Carla Gugino, Jackie Earle
Haley and Billy Crudup didn't know what hit them when they took the
stage to the screams from the devoted fans.
Although the excellent trailer is currently playing in front of "The Dark Knight," about 3-1/2 minutes of exclusive footage was screened for the fans (twice!).
And WHAT footage it was! These people are VERY happy! The montage showed all of the characters in their element, and it really looks like the film just jumped off the page! If this is any indication, then the movie will redefine superheroes on the big screen in much the same way the original story changed the way superheroes were depicted in comics.
As for the Q&A, nothing earth shattering was revealed, but ya gotta love it when a guy dressed up as Batman asks a serious question! I mean, how do you take this guy seriously?
But in one fell swoop, Watchmen became the first must-see movie of 2009!
Although the excellent trailer is currently playing in front of "The Dark Knight," about 3-1/2 minutes of exclusive footage was screened for the fans (twice!).
And WHAT footage it was! These people are VERY happy! The montage showed all of the characters in their element, and it really looks like the film just jumped off the page! If this is any indication, then the movie will redefine superheroes on the big screen in much the same way the original story changed the way superheroes were depicted in comics.
As for the Q&A, nothing earth shattering was revealed, but ya gotta love it when a guy dressed up as Batman asks a serious question! I mean, how do you take this guy seriously?
But in one fell swoop, Watchmen became the first must-see movie of 2009!
Leave a comment