NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

[Crazed Rabbit]

FOX got the rights to the Watchmen movie made by Warner Bros, at least for now (http://blogs.amctv.com/scifi-scanner/2009/01/watchmen-lawsuit-possibilities.php)

Which means the movie could be delayed (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3i2f608e22d68972d4c6a6b7e72b2048cf)years or even turned into a 'mainstream' POS a la Xmen 3, with the length severely trimmed down.

Good grief, what a terrible thing.

CR

[Lemur]

A full examination of how this went down (http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20090112/1239463379.shtml) from one of the producers. Worth a read, if only to excite your hate of Fox Corp.


From my point of view, the flashpoint of this dispute, came in late spring of 2005. Both Fox and Warner Brothers were offered the chance to make Watchmen. They were submitted the same package, at the same time. It included a cover letter describing the project and its history, budget information, a screenplay, the graphic novel, and it made mention that a top director was involved.

And it's at this point, where the response from both parties could not have been more radically different.

The response we got from Fox was a flat "pass." That's it. An internal Fox email documents that executives there felt the script was one of the most unintelligible pieces of **** they had read in years. Conversely, Warner Brothers called us after having read the script and said they were interested in the movie - yes, they were unsure of the screenplay, and had many questions, but wanted to set a meeting to discuss the project, which they promptly did. Did anyone at Fox ask to meet on the movie? No. Did anyone at Fox express any interest in the movie? No. Express even the slightest interest in the movie? Or the graphic novel? No.

From there, the executives at Warner Brothers, who weren't yet completely comfortable with the movie, made a deal to acquire the movie rights and we all started to creatively explore the possibility of making Watchmen.

[lars573]

FOX got the rights to the Watchman movie made by Warner Bros, at least for now (http://blogs.amctv.com/scifi-scanner/2009/01/watchmen-lawsuit-possibilities.php)

Which means the movie could be delayed (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3i2f608e22d68972d4c6a6b7e72b2048cf)years or even turned into a 'mainstream' POS a la Xmen 3, with the length severely trimmed down.

Good grief, what a terrible thing.

CR
Warner has NO ONE to blame but themselfs for this. I read up on this situation. Guess which studio's producer orginally optioned a Watchmen movie in 1988? Answer: 20th century FOX. The rights to make a movie were swapped around in the ensuing 20 years. FOX traded it to WB, who traded it to Paramount. Who gave it back to WB, with a stipualtion that FOX be "involved" in any Watchmen movie if it gets made. Translation you pay us off. WB didn't, and now they reap what they sowed.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

X-men three was good though...

[ICantSpellDawg]

What the hell is watchman?

[Watchman]

"Watchmen (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watchmen_(comic))", properly speaking. One of the more excellent comics of the Eighties and a seminal deconstruction of the superhero genre. Made of epic and win.

[Crazed Rabbit]

X-men three was good though...

Not as good as 1 or 2. It was more mainstream action, and doing that to this movie would take all meaning from it.

As for what it is - Watchman, appropriately enough, has corrected my typo.

CR

[Alexander the Pretty Good]

Meh, any movie probably wouldn't do it justice.

However, a Fox version might be more entertaining, though for all the wrong reasons. :mellow:

[Lemur]

And exhale (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i2079648bd224e2c8075db99d3217979a) ...


Warner Bros. and Fox have resolved their dispute over "Watchmen," with the studios scheduled to present a likely settlement to Judge Gary Feess on Friday morning and request that the case be dismissed.

Terms of the agreement will not be disclosed, but it is said to involve a sizable cash payment to Fox and a percentage of the film's boxoffice. Fox will not be a co-distributor on the film, nor will it own a piece of the "Watchmen" property going forward. The studios are set to release a joint statement announcing the agreement Friday.

[Crazed Rabbit]

Phew. I hope FOX gets little money. They claim they only sued when their assertions were ignored - conveniently, not when the movie was being made but when its completely finished.

CR