Legal Wrangling Could Delay Watchmen
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If the time-honored comic book question of Who Watches The Watchmen is asked, the answer could turn out to be: No one will, at least not anytime soon. One of the most hotly anticipated films of 2009 is in release limbo after a U.S. District Court judge has ruled that 20th Century Fox has the right to distribute the film.
The problem there is that Warner Bros. is the company planning to release the movie in March. E! Online reports that Fox sued Warner in February, alleging Warner hadn’t obtained all the rights from producer Lawrence Gordon. Judge Gary Feess agrees and now the pressure is on Warner to hash something out with Fox before one of the most hyped films of the year misses its target date.
Watchmen, a limited series written by legendary comic scribe Alan Moore (V for Vendetta, Whatever Happened To The Man of Tomorrow?) is one of the most acclaimed books in history. Moore uses characters similar to modern superhero archetypes to deconstruct the superhero. In Watchmen’s mythos, superheroes have been outlawed and the ones still working are on the government’s payroll. With no costumed supervillains, Watchmen is a completely different work.
It may well have taken an era in which every comic book that’s ever sold more than 10 copies seems to be in development to get Watchmen rolling. The movie has had a long, winding road to development and this latest twist has more fans wondering if they will ever “watch the Watchmen.”
Knowing the pressures Warner is under, Feess suggested the two parties might want to work toward a resolution. Fox holds most of the cards here as they’re not the studio counting on Watchmen to kick off a big movie season.
One of the worst things that could happen to Watchmen would be a delay pushing it into an already crowded summer of movies including a new Star Trek film and Wolverine:Origins.
if this does not come because of FOX i will start a campaign to boycott their films.