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And the Watchmen Bitchfest Keeps on Rolling
Legal Circuses / Daniel Carlson

Trade News | September 3, 2008 | Comments (28)

watch1.jpgTwo things I know for sure: (1) In Hollywood, there’s no such thing as an original idea, and (2) If it looks like you’re sitting on a hit, someone will probably try to sue your ass and claim the story as their own. Those maxims are getting all tangled up in the growing legal rumble surrounding Watchmen, director Zach Snyder’s adaptation of Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ phenomenal 1986 graphic novel. Yes, Snyder’s 300 went down the fanboy gullet like fried chicken skin because he managed to somehow make the whole sudden-slo-mo thing seem fresh even though it’s all he had. But Frank Miller’s war story lacks the psychological depth of Moore’s work, so who knows how Snyder will handle it.

Anyway, that’s not even the beef I’m talking about. Warner Bros. — the studio distributing the film and the parent company of DC Comics, the book’s publisher — has been fending off the litigious advances of Fox as the film’s spring release draws closer. Fox sued Warners in February, saying it still held rights to the film under a 1991 claim. The news this week is that a Los Angeles federal judge has set a trial date of Jan. 6 for Fox’s suit, but he also said that Fox shouldn’t even attempt to seek an injunction against the film’s distribution because things are way too complex to bring to a screeching halt.

What does that mean for you? You still get to see Watchmen in March, silly! And in case you have any doubts about my doubts — doubts I hope will be undone by the film — here’s the trailer again as a reminder:


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Comments

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at September 3, 2008 9:06 AM

he also said that Fox shouldn't even attempt to seek an injunction against the film's distribution because things are way too complex to bring to a screeching halt.

Also that thing would be bootlegged faster than you can say "what is this thing called the Internet?"

Posted by: twig at September 3, 2008 9:07 AM

I don't know if anyone else listens to Kevin Smith's Podcast but he saw it already and says it's really true to the material and a fine flick. I'm almost ashamed to post this, knowing it outs me as a Kevin Smith fanboy of epic proportions but he knows his way around a comic book so I'll take his word for it.

Posted by: Optimus Rhyme at September 3, 2008 9:09 AM

I don't know if anyone else listens to Kevin Smith's Podcast but he saw it already and says it's really true to the material and a fine flick. I'm almost ashamed to post this, knowing it outs me as a Kevin Smith fanboy of epic proportions but he knows his way around a comic book so I'll take Silent Bob's word for it.

Posted by: Optimus Rhyme at September 3, 2008 9:10 AM

It's just ridiculous that Fox waited until the movie was completed to protest - at least according to Warner - who charges that Fox "sat silently" as Watchmen progressed. Now they want a piece of the pie (don't we all?).

Posted by: Cindy at September 3, 2008 9:10 AM

Crap! Now I look like a fanboy AND computer illiterate. Now I must slink away to lick my wounds.

Posted by: Optimus D'oh! at September 3, 2008 9:13 AM

What pisses me off about the whole Fox thing is it was in turnaround for all these years, WB picks it up and makes the movie, and they wait until FEB. 2008 to do anything! (Not to mention Fox was paid out, and the project went to several studios starting with Universal in 2001.) Fucking Fox, who hasn't had a hit all year, has to go and try to ruin a legitimately good looking movie; while WB and Paramount did all the work to execute what they couldn't. Cockbiters.

Posted by: Mike R. at September 3, 2008 9:16 AM

I generally don't listen to stand alone podcasts (as opposed to Doctor Who commentaries) as I get fidgety and bored eventually watching my monitor not do anything (someday I'll get one o' them mp3 player antenna things for my car and then it can just be talk radio). So, no, but I do respect Kevin Smith's opinion. So it's good news all around here!

Given that the judge hadn't initially said "are you shitting me?" to Fox I was starting to get pretty worried. After all, my Harry Potter's getting fucked with, so there is nothing safe in this world

Posted by: Jay at September 3, 2008 9:21 AM

my Harry Potter's getting fucked with?

Is this new or that old stupid lawsuit?

Posted by: twig at September 3, 2008 9:44 AM

As long as the movie's still coming out in March, I'm ok. I just read the novel for the first time and it's amazing. I'm pretty excited about the trailer, and I also think KSmith knows whence he speaks re: comics/graphic novels. So, Yay!

What's the Harry Potter thing??

Posted by: Anna von Beaverplatz at September 3, 2008 9:49 AM

"I'm so very excited I could pee."

There's something vaguely disturbing about those words being said with a British accent...or any accent, come to think of it (except maybe Southern).

Posted by: Che Grovera at September 3, 2008 9:55 AM

Yes, do elaborate on the Harry Potter thing. Too lazy/busy to go look it up. No, twig, I won't google it...

Watchmen better come out alright. Man, is Hollywood getting that cutthroat and unrealistic that it's becoming cannibalistic? Could this spell the end for our Golden Age of Movies, when Michael Bay and Tyler Perry are put out of work by uncaring faceless suits of money? Sad, sad times, indeed...

Posted by: Shadows of Dakaron at September 3, 2008 9:56 AM

I don't care about comic books OR Harry Potter. How come I don't get anything to bitch about!? It's so unfair!!

Posted by: Mella at September 3, 2008 10:10 AM

No, twig, I won't google it...

You're actually off the hook this time. There's so much wank associated with Harry Potter that even I'm not sure what Jay is talking about.

Posted by: twig at September 3, 2008 10:18 AM

And if you don't know, we're all screwed

Posted by: Shadows of Dakaron at September 3, 2008 10:21 AM

Actually I never read the last two books. Book 5 was so horrible it was a deal breaker for me.

And I haven't read any of that new silly-ass vampire thing.

But I DO try to keep up on all the surrounding drama.

Posted by: twig at September 3, 2008 10:28 AM

Unless I'm mistaken, the current Harry Potter thing is that release got pushed back from this November to July of next year.

Posted by: lizzieborden at September 3, 2008 10:37 AM

It's just ridiculous that Fox waited until the movie was completed to protest - at least according to Warner - who charges that Fox "sat silently" as Watchmen progressed. Now they want a piece of the pie (don't we all?).

I'm betting that they waited until the movie was screened by a few of their people to protest. If it was going to be a shit movie, then they wouldn't have cared, but if it's a great movie? You bet your sweet ass they're going to sue the shit out of everyone to get a piece of that sweet, sweet Watchmen pie.

I used sweet way too many times there.

Posted by: Jaci at September 3, 2008 10:45 AM

And I haven't read any of that new silly-ass vampire thing.

I have, twig. Large portions of it pissed me off no end, due mostly to the extreme irritant properties of the characters. It was a decent story, though Meyer is clearly a first time writer. I do want to see that movie, though, because that boy is lovely. Actually, there are several lovely young boys in it. And there's nothing I like more than lovely lovely young boys.

I'll be in my bunk.

Posted by: Anna von Beaverplatz at September 3, 2008 11:21 AM

Oh yeah, you didn't notice Robert, I think it was, and I decrying Alan Horn's business acumen and "love for the fans" last week or so?

So yeah, WB said we've got no big 09 summer movie, Batman fucking KILLED, so let's put Harry Potter out the same week and we'll fucking KILL again...No, no, there's no problem, the movie's ready for November, we just want to make a summer movie out of it and make no money for the rest of the year. And we'd never do anything to hurt the fans.

To once again quote Robert Townsend: BULLshit! My snippy letter said that I forgave Paramount more for pulling the same stunt with "Star Trek" due to rumors that J.J. Abrams needed to make up script-fixing time he lost in the strike. "Half-Blood Prince" is just gonna sit in the can for months. And they did this right after they released the teaser and really started the promotion going. "Well....uh...so...here's some more stills, kids!"

Phooey.

Posted by: Jay at September 3, 2008 11:27 AM

I'm just irritated that Meyer's approach to her monsters' lore is "hell, I don't know, do they? I haven't read any of that stuff". The writers of the paranormal romances for adults may be just as ignorant of their canon, but they don't come out and advertise it.

Not that I'm a disgruntled purist, I just thinking "having a fresh take on an old myth" should have some, you know, knowledge of the old myth. But then, I'm hardly the market. No, I just serve the market. I'm buried up to my chin in the market.

Posted by: Jay at September 3, 2008 11:34 AM

No, I just serve the market. I'm buried up to my chin in the market.

Posted by: Jay at September 3, 2008 11:34 AM

Wait, you're buried up to your neck in overromanticized seventeen-year-old girls? What the hell are you complaining about? You better start making some lemonade out of those fresh, juicy lemons!

Posted by: Mella at September 3, 2008 11:38 AM

No doubt, Jay. There were a number of things that irked me; that not caring was one.

***** SEMI-SPOILER ****

Another was her "he hurts me because he loves me" stuff with her main character. In a series marketed to 15-year-old girls, I don't think that's a healthy message. I also think that she totally got Jacob's voice wrong in the 4th. I was nervous about that section before I read it, and my fears were well-founded.

**** END SPOILER *****

I think it was a good idea, I just think it lacked in the execution. I thoroughly agree with you on "I just thinking "having a fresh take on an old myth" should have some, you know, knowledge of the old myth." I wasn't sure, entirely, what bothered me, but that does seem to be striking a chord for me.

My friend and I discussed it a bit, and she suggested perhaps our age and cynicism was getting in the way of our enjoyment; I think perhaps this is attributable to the fact that we, also, are not the target demographic for such novels.

Posted by: Anna von Beaverplatz at September 3, 2008 11:52 AM

Yes, do elaborate on the Harry Potter thing. Too lazy/busy to go look it up. No, twig, I won't google it...

Watchmen better come out alright. Man, is Hollywood getting that cutthroat and unrealistic that it's becoming cannibalistic? Could this spell the end for our Golden Age of Movies, when Michael Bay and Tyler Perry are put out of work by uncaring faceless suits of money? Sad, sad times, indeed...

Posted by: Shadows of Dakaron at September 3, 2008 9:56 AM

Dear Mr. Shadows,

I will not be put out of work, so long as there's still black actors that need to work while waiting for serious scripts worth their time. Michael Bay, on the other hand, is a marked man. His shit could be written by a computer, and filmed by a chimp with ADD. Which would save studios money on paying for his coke habit, and make them more able to pay for movies like mine. You can't stop me.

Hugs and Kisses (Y'all),

Tyler Perry

P.S. Mad respect for Pajiba. I see you got the banner for my new movie, "The Family That Preys". Get it? Kathy Bates says, "My family's known to prey on the weak", hence the title. It's a gold mine, bitches!

Posted by: Tyler Perry at September 3, 2008 2:11 PM

Wait, you're buried up to your neck in overromanticized seventeen-year-old girls?

Well, it's more like 13 or so.

Do you know the way that teenage girls in a group laugh? Like these sudden simultaneous explosions? Over and over? It's slightly sociologically interesting in that it doesn't matter what nationality kids are and what language they're actually speaking, the same way all babies and toddlers scream and complain in the same arrhythmic tune. They're both still really damn annoying though.

Sure, minors look older and older due to all that mutant milk and meat these days, but their minds can still slowly kill me.

Let's face it, Jon Spencer was right. Get a Full GROOOOWN woman.

Posted by: Jay at September 3, 2008 2:13 PM

Hm. That sounds decidedly unsexy. Point taken.

I remember being 13. It was awful. The screaming, the wailing, the gnashing of teeth...

Posted by: Mella at September 3, 2008 2:42 PM

The Watchmen movie should stick to the book and it'll be golden. The comparisons of the actual book panels with the movie panels were so amazing it made me giddy.

As for that Twilight crap, I refuse to even try to read the books. The lack of research into vampire and werewolf mythology is astounding. It's just a romance novel, period. Why does the author even pretend otherwise? Kids these days, they make me doubt the future of lit. I mean honestly, even the ending to Harry Potter was dull. Yea, I said it. I expected better. I'll just go back to rereading my Song of Ice and Fire books.

Posted by: io at September 3, 2008 4:31 PM

Uh....

Was it Entertainment Weekly I read or maybe another interview with Zack...

They mentioned this BS about being "true to the original story"...

Then, after quoting Zack several times talking about how he wouldn't even do the movie unless he could do it authentic/accurate to the book....

They mention that the ending _WILL_ be different and more...happy/appropriate to modern times or some BS such as that.

WTF???

I thought the ending was great. It's one of the many reasons it's such a great work! If it's anything other than what it is and should be, it will suck - but I'll still slap down my $20 to see it in the theater.

And for the record since radio stations and morons on the internet keep saying it - no, the smashing pumpkins song in the trailer is not a "new remix made for the Watchmen movie".

It was track 15 of 15 on the Batman & Robin soundtrack.
Yes, I bought that CD for the two pumpkins songs and am ok with the one variation Jewel song on there. The rest is pretty much crap.

Great choice on the music track for the Watchmen trailer though.

When I first saw the trailer I thought WTF is this crap. Then I read the comic. Sweetness.

Fingers crossed Zack somehow sticks with his true to the book and keeps the ending as it should be.

Posted by: WhoWhatWhere at September 3, 2008 5:44 PM