Zack Snyder’s Watchmen has got to be one of the most divisive superhero movies ever made. For every person who thinks it bungled bringing Alan Moore’s seminal graphic novel to the big screen, there’s another who thinks Snyder did an amazing job. There are enough of the latter group though for many to have called for more movies set in the Watchmen universe over the years – perhaps based off the Before Watchmen prequel comics. Unfortunately, though, no further films were ever made.
While chatting with Cinema Blend, Jackie Earle Haley – who played psychotic vigilante Rorschach – spoke about how much he would have liked to have done more, but also mentioned that legal issues stopped a possible franchise from happening:
“I wish they would have gone on. You know, I think they probably would have gone on and done more films with Watchmen, different versions of it, because I think there was enough success that they could have gone back in time or done something with it. But I think the thing that really kind of held it up was the fact that there was this contention of ownership between Warner Bros and Paramount. Dude, it was like Paramount waited until [Watchmen] was pregnant. We were at the end of production, when Paramount said ‘Oh, and by the way…’”
If you’re wondering how both studios have a claim to the movie it’s because Paramount were originally set to make the adaptation, but ultimately decided to put the project into turnaround, which allowed Warner Bros. to produce Watchmen in exchange for a tax write-off.
The Watchmen franchise might have never taken off in theatres then, but the likes of Doctor Manhattan, Nite-Owl, the Comedian and the rest will be returning to the screen soon in HBO’s TV adaptation. Haley, meanwhile, has found another role in a very different superhero story, as he’s playing supervillain The Terror on Amazon Prime’s The Tick.
Tell us, would you have liked another Watchmen movie? Or did Zack Snyder’s effort not do much for you? Let us know in the usual place.