Terry Gilliam's Watchmen

[MNM041]

In 1986, the first issue of the maxieseries Watchmen was released. It, alongside The Dark Knight Returns, ushered in a new era of comics, and studios were quick to attempt a film adaptation.

The first attempt came in 1986, the same year that the comic start, by 20th Century Fox, and script featuring an assassination and a time paradox [1]. It eventually fell through and landed in the hands of Warner Bros in 1990. who taped Terry Gilliam to direct, with Joel Silver producing. While initially conceived of as film, Gilliam quickly realized that television was the best medium for the story and penned a teleplay for an eight-to-ten hour miniseries.

Warner Brothers, while initially hesitant to give in to his 100 million dollar price tag, eventually caved when Arnold Schwarzenegger, whom Silver wanted for the part of Dr. Manhattan, expressed interest in getting the project made.

With the studio's go-ahead and the blessing of Dave Gibbons (but not Alan Moore), production began on what become known as one of the most ambitious and expensive TV miniseries of all time, with Gilliam using the original comic as a storyboard and a script by Sam Hamm, who had written Batman the previous year. It would be a difficult task for sure, but certainly filmable[2].

[1] I found about that through the YouTube Cinefix's video discussing the difference between the comic and the 2009 movie.

[2] This was meant as a reference to Terry Gilliam calling his version unfilmable.

 

[MNM041]

With casting underway, Arnold Schwarzenegger was essentially a done deal as Dr. Manhattan. Gilliam and Silver both knew it was a risk, especially after the confused reception from fans of the comic after the casting was announced, but Schwarzenegger took the role seriously, wanting to prove he could do more than just action roles.

The casting of the character Rorschach took priority, due to how much of the story is narrated by him. Dozens of actors were auditioned for the part. At one point, Robin Williams (who Gilliam would end up working with in 1992's The Fisher King) expressed interest in the part but his commitment to the movie Awakening kept from taking part in the project. Eventually, Gilliam approached Jim Varney for the role. Varney, wanting to avoid being typecast as the Ernest P. Worrell character (whom he had already appeared as in three movies, with a fourth on the way), agreed to audition, and eventually landed the role. To avoid further outrage from fans, Varney's name was deliberately kept from press related to production, lest there by similar outrage to when Michael Keaton was cast as Batman.

Christopher Reeve's casting as Nite Owl II was a surprise to many. The Superman actor's name brought more star power to the project, while Reeve himself was happy to get away from being only known as Superman (though he reportedly joked that he was trading one set of tights for another).

In the role of Silk Spectre II, Nightmare On Elm Street star Heather Langenkamp was brought on. Suggested by makeup artist Robert Kurtzman, who worked with Langenkamp on Nightmare On Elm Street. When Gilliam saw Langenkamp's audition, he knew she was the right choice, saying she had a "unique strength that made her particularly well suited for the character."

Bruce Campbell was eventually settled on for The Comedian. While Campbell was mostly seen as a B-movie actor by the studios, his charisma won them over and he was cast to play both the young and old versions of the character. The fact he was only only six years older than Heather Langenkamp, who played his character's daughter, would be joked about by the two during production.

Finally for the role of Ozymandias was Stellan Skarsgård, a Swedish actor who was relatively unknown in America at the time, outside of a role in The Hunt For Red October, which was released in 1990 when casting began.

Rounding out the cast was Paul Newman as Hollis Mason, Ernie Hudson as Malcolm Long, Randy Quaid as Richard Nixon, Christopher Lee as Moloch the Mystic, David Morse as Captain Metropolis, Danny Devito as Big Figure, and Beverly D'Angelo as Silk Spectre I.

 

[Amadeus]

Rounding out the cast was Paul Newman as Hollis Mason, Ernie Hudson as Malcolm Long, Randy Quaid as Richard Nixon, Christopher Lee as Moloch the Mystic, David Morse as Captain Metropolis, Danny Devito as Top Dollar, and Beverly D'Angelo as Silk Spectre I.

While reading this I was watching "The Sting" starring Paul Newman! Nice touch.

 

[MNM041]

While reading this I was watching "The Sting" starring Paul Newman! Nice touch.

That's a funny coincidence. Just curious, what do you think of the rest of the cast?

 

[Nivek]

very nice idea, could work very well, where would the miniseries be show? HBO? NBC?

 

[Amadeus]

That's a funny coincidence. Just curious, what do you think of the rest of the cast?

Reeve was a fantastic actor and he would have been a great choice for Nite Owl. However, I think the studio would just have seen him as Superman and they'd have tried to veto the idea. I remember reading that Schwarzenegger was considered for Dr. Manhattan when Gilliam was attached to the project so I can see that happening. Although I wonder how Dr. Manhattan's dialogue would sound if performed in a thick Austrian accent!

 

[Nivek]

Reeve was a fantastic actor and he would have been a great choice for Nite Owl. However, I think the studio would just have seen him as Superman and they'd have tried to veto the idea. I remember reading that Schwarzenegger was considered for Dr. Manhattan when Gilliam was attached to the project so I can see that happening. Although I wonder how Dr. Manhattan's dialogue would sound if performed in a thick Austrian accent!

For me, Reeves have the range to be the lead of Rorschach , but I would see warner even getting colder feet them and nite owl being a compromise.

Hope we butterfly away his riding accident too

 

[Amadeus]

For me, Reeves have the range to be the lead of Rorschach , but I would see warner even getting colder feet them and nite owl being a compromise.

Hope we butterfly away his riding accident too

I was going to suggest this as well, although the accident occured several years later in 1995. Reeve was indeed a very talented actor (see "The Remains of the Day" where he plays an American Congressman opposite Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson), and IMO he was underused in dramatic roles.

 

[MNM041]

very nice idea, could work very well, where would the miniseries be show? HBO? NBC?

I'm thinking HBO currently.

 

[MNM041]

For me, Reeves have the range to be the lead of Rorschach , but I would see warner even getting colder feet them and nite owl being a compromise.

Hope we butterfly away his riding accident too

I plan on doing that, just not sure how yet.

 

[Nivek]

I was going to suggest this as well, although the accident occured several years later in 1995. Reeve was indeed a very talented actor (see "The Remains of the Day" where he plays an American Congressman opposite Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson), and IMO he was underused in dramatic roles.

In P2S we used him for a school Dramedy and a few dramas and comedies, he was such an amazing actor but got a little up chained to his superman role and them his accident.

I'm thinking HBO currently.

HBO would make sense and it could be one of their pre-oz killer app miniseries.

I plan on doing that, just not sure how yet.

There always he got a less traumatic accident(like a broken leg or arm) or he didn't ride that die(we use the latter in P2S as he caught the flu) those are ideas when happens.

 

[MNM041]

Although I wonder how Dr. Manhattan's dialogue would sound if performed in a thick Austrian accent!

Honestly, I think I could work. Granted, I wouldn't have cast him as Dr. Manhattan if I didn't think someone like him getting involved was the only way of it getting the funding, but I can actually see him delivering some of the lines quite well, like the "The world's smartest man posses no more threat to me than the world's smartest termite." line.

 

[Nivek]

Honestly, I think I could work. Granted, I wouldn't have cast him as Dr. Manhattan if I didn't think someone like him getting involved was the only way of it getting the funding, but I can actually see him delivering some of the quite well, like the "The world's smartest man posses no more threat to me than the world's smartest termite." line.

Plus Arnie being an immigrant and his early poor English command would play weel the aloofness Dr Manhattan always show on camera(something the HBO miniseries whiffed a little, but again that's the difference of version)

 

[MNM041]

I'm also currently thinking that the effects for this ends up being where a lot of the money goes, between Dr. Manhattan, the squid and some of the Mars scenes, the CGI would need to be amazing.

 

[Amadeus]

I'm also currently thinking that the effects for this ends up being where a lot of the money goes, between Dr. Manhattan, the squid and some of the Mars scenes, the CGI would need to be amazing.

Since this is the early 1990s, Gilliam would more likely rely on practical effects.

Douglas Trumbull, the genius behind the special effects in "2001" and "Blade Runner," just passed away. Perhaps he could be hired to create the special effects?

 

[Nivek]

I'm also currently thinking that the effects for this ends up being where a lot of the money goes, between Dr. Manhattan, the squid and some of the Mars scenes, the CGI would need to be amazing.

We're still on the time of practical effect, but CGI could be the secret sauces for special effects (Dr Osterman glow, the Squid,etc)

 

[MNM041]

Since this is the early 1990s, Gilliam would more likely rely on practical effects.

Douglas Trumbull, the genius behind the special effects in "2001" and "Blade Runner," just passed away. Perhaps he could be hired to create the special effects?

Fair enough, though I think CGI would have to be involved for some off what I mentioned.

 

[Amadeus]

Since this is the early 1990s, Gilliam would more likely rely on practical effects.

Douglas Trumbull, the genius behind the special effects in "2001" and "Blade Runner," just passed away. Perhaps he could be hired to create the special effects?

For some info about Trumbull, here is his obituary in The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/feb/08/douglas-trumbull-2001-space-odyssey-dies-79

 

[MNM041]

For some info about Trumbull, here is his obituary in The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/feb/08/douglas-trumbull-2001-space-odyssey-dies-79

Thank you for this. That's very helpful.

 

[MNM041]

If anyone has any thoughts on how this might end up effecting the careers of those involved. What movies end up butterflied away, what roles go to other people etc. If anyone has any suggestions, I'd love to hear them.