Comments on: Watchmen: Then and Now

By: Happenstance

Happenstance — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 11:11:02 +0000

Costner as Nite Owl? Heh. But Robin Williams? As Rorschach? Look, I love Gilliam from his Python days all the way through “Tideland,” but that’s just asking for it. Williams being serious is hard sell in a straight drama, but in a dark drama about costumed superheroes the very idea BEGS the audience to smirk.

If Patrick Wilson and Matthew Goode can put on some weight–different types of weight, mind you–I believe the 2007 cast is perfect, although Wilson seems young for the part.

Wait…90’s Costner? Phoenix? Wilson? Come to think of it, each director seems to picture Nite Owl as a Young Dashing Handsome Hero role, when he’s a burned-out overweight has-been with a limp noodle. I hope that’s not indicative of liberties taken with the story.

By: james deckert

james deckert — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 20:08:43 +0000

Terry Gilliam’s Watchmen would have been phenomenal!!!! He’s a strong enough director that I don’t think Robin Williams would have been able to run amok. Brazil and 12 Monkeys are two of the best movies ever made. It probably would not have been a verbatim version of the comic, but he would have brought his own input to the source material. I’d envision it as similar to what Ridley Scott did to “Do androids dream of electric sheep” when he made Blade Runner. Of course Alan Moore would have orphaned the project and claimed it wasn’t his (but that’s nothing new).

By: Jim

Jim — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 19:11:55 +0000

I agree that the ‘05 cast might be more exciting, though these actors were only rumored, correct? So who knows if this would have actually been the real cast had Greengrass made the movie. On the other hand, I might be a bit more excited if “Watchmen” was being directed by the guy who made the last 2 Bourne movies…

I don’t know the actual cast well enough to comment but the guys playing Nite Owl and Ozymandias seem a bit young to be former supes, to me. At least we are spared Robin Williams playing Rorschach. It would have been him imitating “Rain Man” for 2 hours. Whew!!!

By: davek

davek — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 17:19:58 +0000

I am surprised that Robin Williams was being considered for Rorschach, I always thought he would have made a better Nite-Owl. Of course, I also always believed William H. Macy would have made the perfect Rorschach as well.

…and I would be remiss if I did not also mention that at one point, Tom Cruise was speculated to play Ozymandias, and that would’ve been just perfect in its own way.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 17:08:26 +0000

I can totally see Gary Abuse-y playing a sociopath who likes to brutalize women and may or may not have incestuous intentions towards his daughter.

I can also see him playing the Comedian.

I’m just sayin’ is all…

By: Xela501

Xela501 — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 16:41:03 +0000

no you are not, because I agree.

By: Axel M. Gruner

Axel M. Gruner — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 16:25:53 +0000

No. You’re right. Jude Law as Ozymandias makes sense. Perlman I don’t know, but at that time he used to play bad or tough guys, so that’s probably ok. The 2007 cast seems pretty much no-name no-face.

By: Mark I.

Mark I. — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 15:24:22 +0000

Am I just being an ol’ stick in the mud if I say I like the 2005 cast a skosh better than 2007?