Whenever I read about Zack Snyder’s screen adaptation of Watchmen, two things happen.
- I wonder more and more whether or not this film will ever begin shooting. It’s just been years of talk, talk, talk and not enough action.
- I realize more and more how Snyder is a great choice to helm the thing because the passion is obviously there.
A few weeks ago MTV.com published a very scary quote involving not only Gerard Butler’s previously reported involvement in the film, but also the project itself. 300 has made Butler as hot a commodity as it’s director and the projects are lining up for the Scottish actor making it difficult for him to re-team with Snyder. Below is a quote from Butler from the MTV blog:
“We’ve been talking about [’Watchmen’] for a while, but [Zack’s] never told me a character and to be honest, now I’m looking a little bit picked up,†he sighed, adding with a hint of finality. “I don’t know if ‘Watchmen’ is going to be happening.â€
“I don’t know if Watchmen is going to be happening” he says. Uh, I hope Butler meant that as a “as far as he’s concerned”-type thing. Damnit, I feel an ulcer coming on. Then again, Butler might not even be right about that. MTV interviewed Zack Snyder at the Movie Awards about Butler’s comments and he had this to say:
“Yeah, we’ll find a spot for him … They’ll let him [off the other sets for a while]; he’s not gonna get out that easy.”
I thought Butler would have made for a solid Rorschach but if Butler can only squeeze in a smaller role, The Comedian (seen mostly in flashback) would be perfect for him. He’s certainly got the intimidating look needed for the role. Speaking of The Comedian, Snyder had more to spill on his adaptation. From the same MTV.com article:
“At the beginning of the movie there’s a character called the Comedian,” Snyder said of the ill-fated former hero whose murder begins the story. “He gets in a fight with a guy that we don’t know who it is, and [the Comedian] gets thrown out a window. That’s what I’m working on right now, and it’s pretty intense.”
Zack, dude, I hope you’ve been working on more than the first scene. Jeez. But there were more promising aspects of the article which included a slated September shoot in Canada. Snyder refused to shoot down the previously reported rumors of Jude Law, Keanu Reeves and Patrick Wilson being offered roles when asked.
“Um — you know what? I would say ‘No,’ but then you’d call me later and go like, ‘Dude, what are you doing?’ ” Snyder laughed. “I don’t know who’s leaking this stuff, but they’re good.”
Sounds like a near-done deal to me. But you never know. I won’t fully open my heart to this project until the cameras are rolling this fall. Until then …
