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5 ways the unfilmable film Watchmen could have an unthinkable sequel
After Watchmen topped the box office this past weekend with a strong performance, if below expectations, can Warner Brothers really not be thinking about a sequel?
Yes, director Zack Snyder swore he wouldn't return for another movie (aside from a joke sequel published with Bazooka Joe bubble gum), but he himself is proof that the impossible can happen, since a lot of people called Watchmen unfilmable until he filmed it. And he did tell the New York Times, "Listen, they own the rights. If they wanted to go and hire some guy to make them a sequel to Watchmen, I don't know that they would get any of those actors to do it, and I know that I wouldn't have anything to do with it. But they own it. They can do whatever they want."
The actors have also confirmed their contracts carry an "available for sequels clause." Billy "Dr. Manhattan" Crudup also told the Associated Press, "Contractually, we are obligated ... I will do it. I just don't know what it is we would do."
That's the real question about a sequel or prequel. Not would they do it—because Hollywood has shown it will do just about anything for money—but how would they do it? To date no concrete ideas have emerged, but there are a few hints here and there about what might happen, and plenty of historical precedent from Hollywood itself.
Here are five things Warner Brothers is probably already considering:
1. SEQUEL:
If you think doing a straight-up sequel without the guiding hand of Zack Snyder is blasphemous, remember the Terminator franchise. that the sequel rights are controlled by Fox, as part of its settlement with Warner Brothers. Fox is one studio that's never been shy about moving on without original talent. Who decided that the Alien brand could live on without Sigourney Weaver? Fox. When the naysayers claimed that the Terminator franchise should be shut down without James Cameron, Fox made big bucks by betting on Rise of the Machines, which was directed by Jonathan Mostow. If the payoff seems large enough, there's little doubt Fox Warner would do the same with Watchmen.
2. SPINOFF:
Hollywood loves a good (or bad) superhero spinoff, with Fox again leading the way. After three X-Men movies, Fox is about to come out with the biggest superhero spinoff to date, X-Men Origins: Wolverine. As for Warner, the successful Batman flicks resulted in the not-so-successful Catwoman. And even the admittedly lackluster movie Daredevil was deemed deserving of a spinoff called Elektra. There are any number of major and minor characters from Watchmen who could get their own movies, with the most likely candidate being Nite Owl II. Also, there is no reason Dr. Manhattan couldn't rematerialize Rorschach.
3. PREQUEL:
Watchmen creator Alan Moore himself came up with two concepts for prequels that have not been done ... so far. The first idea was going to be a 12-issue series based on the 1940s superhero team Minutemen. The second proposal was to explore the early life of Rorschach and/or the Comedian through journals or diaries. Neither one leaps off the page as an immediate blockbuster, but there is enough background material there for a screenwriter to run with.
4. BASED ON THE GAME:
There already is another Watchmen story out there, in the form of a video game called Watchmen: The End Is Nigh, which focuses on Rorschach and Night Owl's adventures as a heroic duo in the 1970s before the Keene Act outlawed masks. This one even has a pedigree Watchmen fans should approve of, since it was written by original Watchmen comic editor Len Wein, and Watchmen artist Dave Gibbons served as an advisor during development.
5. REBOOT:
Finally, a reboot or re-imagining sounds implausible today, but it's been done in some form with Batman, The Hulk, Superman, The Punisher and even the Fantastic Four (if you count the Roger Corman film as an original). And reinventions of Daredevil and Fantastic Four (again) have been discussed in the news recently, even though those films are only six and four years old, respectively. The easiest way to cash in on a Watchmen sequel might just be to remake it. There are certainly enough unused scripts from many previous attempts at making the film, commissioned by everyone from Terry Gilliam to Darren Aronofsky. Admittedly this is probably the least likely scenario in the near future.
It's still unclear whether Watchmen will be profitable, despite its mostly positive reviews from fans of the graphic novel. But with a worldwide gross of $92 million heading into its second weekend, one thing's for sure—if audiences listen to screenwriter David Hayter's plea to "Please go see the movie again next weekend," Fox Warner will make sure that in one form or another, someday we'll be watching more Watchmen.
By Goj at 9:55 AM ON 03/13/09
given the ending, a prequel would make the most sense. Not that you need it, but to continue in the vein of 'Watchmen', the Rorschach journal at the end of the of the original film could contain a key to a grand central station storage locker, inside containing dozens and dozens of previous Rorschach journals. This could be used as a departure point to go into Rorschach's past, be it with the Watchmen, the Nite Owl 2 or as a solo act.
I like the idea of a Minuteman backstory, though doing 1940's superhero alternate history might be a harder sell to the studio's. But you could cover things like World War 2, Civil Rights Movement and other era highpoints.
By destroytheearth at 10:08 AM ON 03/13/09
Warner Bros have been really good lately, and even if they weren't, no-one, not even Hollywood Execs , is dumb enough to think that makes remote sense. No-one will do it, if they did it would go straight to DVD and sink.
By BlueMax at 10:20 AM ON 03/13/09
A watchman prequel would be almost as bad as this cartoon (link below)... This cartoon trailer is way funny!
By Marty B. at 10:23 AM ON 03/13/09
I think last week, when the Wire reported Suicide Squad being on the WB drawing board, I thought that was WB's way of handling the sequel impulse. Not a direct sequel but possibly a "tone" sequel (dark sort of anti-heroic superhero) movie.
That said, my mind often wondered "so then what?" after reading and seeing Watchmen. I'd be kind of curious how this apparently "utopia based on a lie" could evolve into the 90s and now. Call it Veidtworld or whatever. It would necessarily need the cast of the original, but I doubt anything like that would ever be made. Just a thought experiment.
By nonfreak at 11:09 AM ON 03/13/09
So Daredevil and Fantastic four are being considered for re-makes. Lovely.
By MarkM at 11:16 AM ON 03/13/09
I don't think Fox owning the sequel rights is accurate to begin with. I am pretty sure part of the settlement with WB gave them money and a share of the original movie, but anything else done after that would be controlled by WB.
So people might like to bash FOX, but I think this isn't an appropriate reason to do it.
By MarkM at 12:30 PM ON 03/13/09
Fox would get % points of any sequels, but they don't control making them, That is still WB's decision, so Fox has no real say in making this a franchise
By Al at 1:06 PM ON 03/13/09
I still don't understand why the label "unfilmable" is still being tossed around.
It was filmed!
Go out and see it.
The video game looks promising and any expansion in that regard would probably work more than any remake or prequel.
Fans have been driving the sales of the movie and fans would more than likely turn their backs on any prequel or continuation of the graphic novel.
Gotta get that game...
By Bob at 2:23 PM ON 03/13/09
People like to make fun of Watchmen and how unfilmable it supposedly was. I thought the movie was pretty good and I have seen alot worse (Fantastic Four). A sequel with Nite Owl would be great as long as DC doesn't follow in Fox's footsteps and sue them for copying Blue Beetle.
By DORIAN at 2:38 PM ON 03/13/09
Who the frak cares?
Watchmen is THE WORST HERO MOVIE since the BORING TO DEATH Batman 2
We want action not erection problems!
By EditTheWorld at 3:07 PM ON 03/13/09
Most of what is seen now requires the willing suspension of disbelief and most of the effects in watchman helped me participate!
By SCI FI Wire at 6:11 PM ON 03/13/09
@MarkM
You're right about Fox; we had some bad information about the settlement. We've fixed the story.
By SpacecatX at 7:29 PM ON 03/13/09
I don't think a sequel or prequel would make sense for Watchmen. If you've seen the movie or read the graphic novel then you'd know why. The best bet would be to bask in the the success and apply the technique to something else that hasn't been filmed yet.
By Thunderhawk at 3:14 AM ON 03/14/09
@Bob. Why would DC sue Warner Bros when Warner owns them?
By a different tim at 9:54 AM ON 03/14/09
I agree with a few of the comments saying a sequal wouldn't make sense. And anyway the film is good enough to stand on its own with out a a sequal or (stupidest term ever) a prequal trying to explain anything more about the Watchmen.
By Jaycer17 at 10:21 AM ON 03/16/09
All I can say is: for the love of all that is holy, WB, do NOT make this sequel/preuqel/reboot. Please oh please oh please. The only thing I could consider worthy of touching WATCHMEN again for filming is a TV miniseries, and in 10 or 20 years when the controversy of the movie has well died down. It's the only way to do it complete justice, but milking the WATCHMEN cow dry should not be an option. (And I am one who very much enjoyed the movie. A WHOLE lot.)
By the same ole at 7:49 PM ON 03/18/09
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By KaosDevice at 2:38 AM ON 03/19/09
I almost hate to bring it up but the comics themselves kind of pave the way for a sequel. At the end Dan and Laurie walk off talking about going out adventuring as Night Owl and Silk Spectre again except as a team. That would be the most logical *shudder* sequel concept.
By Kimono Kijiwa at 12:05 PM ON 04/06/09
Dorian said: "Who the frak cares?
Watchmen is THE WORST HERO MOVIE since the BORING TO DEATH Batman 2
We want action not erection problems!"
Dorian, Watchmen is a *different,* not a worse kind of movie. Let me correct you - You want erection problems in some movies, and in some movies you want action, and in some - both are fine.
I don't want any sequels. But a film starring Carla Gugino all about Sally Jupiter, from her teenage runaway days to her days in the retirement home, would be fun if done properly.
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Kimono Kijiwa:
Dorian said: "Who the frak cares? Watchmen is THE WORST HERO MOVIE since the BORING TO DEATH Batman 2 We want actio...More »