RKMBs Forums .::Robegories::. Media "Watchmen" movie coming soon!!

Actors Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Gerard Butler talked to Superhero Hype about what's up with the Zack Snyder-helmed tentpole. Morgan talked about playing the Comedian, saying, "It's good. It's crazy. It's unlike anything I've ever been a part of and it's such a departure for me from anything I've done recently. They guy I'm playing is a little short on the moral end so it's rough. He doesn't have any; he has no morals. There's days that are rough. It's a stretch sometimes. Oddly enough, he's a superhero, but he does horrible things. For some reason, in reading the novel, you don't hate this guy even though he does things that are unmentionable. They are horrendous things. My job is to kind of make that translate, so as a viewer you end up not making excuses to like him, but you don't hate him like you should for doing the things that he does. It's a tough one. It's hard."

As for Butler playing a pirate? He said, I know they were talking about that and at one point that part was cut from the film because of budget, but then they were talking about it again so I don't know. They are right in the middle of the main body of the film and at this point I'm not sure. But even a tiny little thing I would do for Zack Snyder. He's my boy."

Finally, Comic Related has a report from someone who worked as an extra on the production. "We were told that the scenes for today involved the newsstand. The first scene was the newsvendor and the black kid reading the comic, and Walter Kovacs. I headed over to the newsstand and checked it out. There was the box for the black kid to sit on next to a fire hydrant (not the electrical power plug from the novel) next to the dingy green newsstand. Behind the kid was a poster advertising the issue of 'The Black Freighter' he'd be reading. On the newsstand, again, the set designers had done an incredible job. Set in October 1985, I was stunned to see that ALL of the magazines on the stand were from October 1985! These were not mock-ups or dummy covers, but the actual magazines culled from second hand stores in the city. The comics amongst the magazines were also from October 1985. Even the newspapers had that date though they might have been dummy copies. Funny that the DC comics were behind the Marvel ones. There was also a few dummy Newsweeks with Dr. Manhattan shaking hands with Adrian Veidt and a magazine with a close up of 'Nixon's' face. The guy they made up to look like an old Nixon is the spitting image. The vendor had a little TV set and a stool. There were gum and chocolate bars and a mini-fridge with drinks. On the inside wall close to the vendor was a poster advertising a magazine with Dr. Manhattan on the cover. For the record, the newsstand looked just like the one in the novel. Dr. Manhattan looked right. So did Veidt and Nixon. Everything from the novel had been recreated with precise detail."

For some reason, in reading the novel, you don't hate this guy even though he does things that are unmentionable. They are horrendous things. My job is to kind of make that translate, so as a viewer you end up not making excuses to like him, but you don't hate him like you should for doing the things that he does. It's a tough one. It's hard.

You play The Comedian in the upcoming Watchmen Movie,have you wrapped yet?

Hell no I go back monday. I came in yesterday I go back monday.

Can you give us an update on how filming is going?

Its super huge man it is just mind boggling. Everyday I go to work on that thing and its sort of overhwhelming. I dont think I have ever done anything that is quite like that before. We are shooting the New York set now and all i can say is its the most amazing set I have ever seen in my life. We were doing this Night Exterior the Keen riots and seeing the gaphic novel come to life like I did that night it gives me chills just thinking about it.

It is one of those things, I was just telling somebody, it is so much to be doing it, just showing up at work everyday and getting into character, getting into costume and seeing what im seeing and how its all coming together. I dont know I have the right words to describe the experience till im well done with it.

Talk about your character for those not familiar with it.

Edward Blake is his I guess real name and The Comedian is the super hero character he is. The character I play is 180 degrees from anything I have ever done before, which is why I wanted to do it. It is a whole other thing. He is an animal you know. But i think one of the reasons I got hired, the things he does the physical actions are horrendous certainly the most horrendous things ive ever seen or much less portrayed.

But you dont hate him you know, so my job is to be able to do these f*cking horrible things, yet have the audience not hate his guts. You read the book you dont heat the comeidan there is a reason he does what he does. he just takes it to a level most people wouldnt but for him its normal. The work I am doing on watchmen is mind bending and physically just hard.

Talk to us about putting on the costume for the first time. And the experince of seeing everyone in their costumes.

It was awesome to see everyone in their costumes. Mine is the coolest costume to look at. My costume is insane but it also takes the longest to get in and out of. Michael Wilkinson the costumer who designed the costume stayed very true to the comic book, maybe a little bit updated. The comedian is spot on to the book, spot on...
His costumes are exactly like it is in the graphic novel. But seeing everyone in their super hero costumes, For one its hard to not start laughing at first everyone is running around trying to be a super hero. Its just a really cool experience. For me, as soon as I put on the costume and stuck a cigar in my mouth im him, you dont even want to talk to me anymore. I turn into the character.

Have you filmed the Vietnam Sequences yet?

Not yet that will be coming up after I leave here

How has the Canadian dollar impacted the production in Vancouver?

Im not sure, thats a good question. I couldn't answer that being that it is not my area of expertise. I dont know. I know alot of stuff is still shooting there. There is probably benefits to shooting there of which I am not entirely sure of. I know for awhile they wanted to shoot in New York because they had to build some very elaborate sets of New York. It might have been easier to go to New York. I know they had tons of empty stages which New York didnt have. We have a whole row of sound stages.

What is working with Zach Snyder been like?

He is not only incredibly passionate in staying absolutely true to the graphic novel he is also like a little kid, i dont know where he gets his energy. We are putting in some long hours, alot of nights and everyday hes running around and smiling through all of it. Hes just an amazing director, hes drawn out literally every frame of this movie before he shot it.

I dont think I have worked with anyone more prepared. He has a copy of the graphic novel in his hand all the time. It never comes out of his hand. Hes constantly referring to it and will setup a shot looking at the graphic novel. Its crazy and again its one of those things I will have to process when the whole thing is over and i will sit down and give you an in depth interiew. Its all so mind boggling i need to step away from it to put it into words im still blown away from it.

Have you had any seens with Jackie Earle Haley aka Rorschach Yet?
No.

I found Nite Owl to be a pretty sympathetic character.

you don't hate the guy, but here's the thing: you don't love him, either. you don't make any sort of emotional investment in any of the characters outside of Rorschach. that's one of the book's failings that's often glossed over.

I found Nite Owl to be a pretty sympathetic character.

Dave Gibbons visits the set - part 1 of 2
It's perhaps the most surreal experience of my life.

There they are, in a shadowy clubhouse, standing around a map of the USA, just as we'd imagined them. The smoke of the Comedian's cigar hangs in the air as I drink in the details of the scene. Framed old copies of The New York Gazette tell stories of past exploits; trophies glint in glass-fronted display cases; Moloch's solar weapon shines in a dusty corner and over there, on its mannequin stand, the faded costume of the original Nite Owl keeps silent vigil.

Then, a sudden flash of unearthly blue light announces the arrival of Dr. Manhattan and the tableau comes to life. The voices of quarreling heroes rise and fall, a Zippo flares and the map catches fire.

Somewhere, someone shouts "Cut!"

And I'm standing amongst them. Nite Owl shakes my hand. The Comedian slaps me on the back. Silk Spectre smiles a dazzling greeting. I'm overwhelmed by the depth and detail of what I'm seeing.

But more than that. I'm overwhelmed by the commitment, the passion, the palpable desire to do this right.

I'm starting to feel a glow that eclipses even Dr. Manhattan's...

-Dave Gibbons
December 2007