Yes, more Watchmen Hype

[major_clanger]

An expanded version of the second trailer, with additional commentary by director Zack Snyder.

Watchmen Exclusive

(Alt: http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=48917596)

Again, it looks like a lot of scenes taken directly from the graphic novel. I'm still not at all convinced by the casting of Matthew Goode as Veidt/Ozymandias - he just doesn't come across as having Veidt's combination of charisma and gravitas. It remains to be seen how well it will work for Jeffrey Dean Morgan to play Blake/The Comedian from teenager to sexagenarian, and I don't think we've seen any footage yet of Jackie Earle Haley as (unmasked) Kovacs rather than (masked) Rorschach. But the look and feel of the film itself continues to appear spot-on.

There is of course the question of when we will actually get to see the film. I have no idea how a US court will rule; if this had happened in the UK, I would have thought that the American Cyanamid guidelines would mitigate against an injunction barring distribution on the basis that any loss to Fox would be made good by subsequent damages if it won its case. (The principle is that you only get an interim injunction to prevent damage to you that won't be sufficiently dealt with by money damages in the longer term when your full case comes to court.)

Comments

[gaspode.livejournal.com]

I believe (although I may be wrong - its not clear in the papers) that most of the non US distribution is being done by Paramount and is unaffected by the ruling

[stevegreen.livejournal.com]

I was under the impression that distribution wasn't at the heart of this argument, but rather Warners' rights to have made the movie in the first place.

[major-clanger.livejournal.com]

Yes, but Fox is seeking an interim injunction preventing WB from distributing the film in the US; if it gets this, then it's not clear (as gaspodex notes) whether this would prevent it from being distributed overseas.

[major-clanger.livejournal.com]

I'm just imagining the consequences of Watchmen coming out in Europe six months earlier than it does in the USA. A number of airlines might see a sudden spike in business...

(Actually, I can just imagine a special package: return flight, overnight stay and guaranteed prime seat in the Waterloo IMAX.)

[lil-shepherd.livejournal.com]

I'm no lawyer, unlike your good self, but the summary judgment seems to make it clear why they came down in Fox's favour...

http://bradfox.com/downloadables/watchmen_dec2408_order.pdf