WatchmenComicMovie.com Forum

Listen up, folks.

There's been a fair bit of talk on this board regarding plot points from the movie. Specifically, plot points that some of us know to be in the movie... despite the fact that we have no proof behind these claims.

Now, this is not unusual. An early draft of the Transformers screenplay was leaked online over a year before the movie's launch, and that draft was invoked and referenced constantly. The difference is that screenplay was everywhere on the 'Net and links to downloads were freely given when asked for. I myself have a copy of that draft on my hard drive.

However, to my knowledge, there are only two reliable sources regarding the screenplay to this movie. This one: (http://scifiscripts.com/scripts/wtchmn.txt) is the very first pass at the screenplay, in its entirety, written by Sam Hamm way back in 1989. It's an abomination by any standard and it's almost certainly been scrapped. The second link is here: (http://latinoreview.com/scriptreview.php?id=27) A review of Alex Tse's screenplay... as of July 2006.

To sum up, we have two reliable sources to tell us what's in the Watchmen screenplay. The latter is outdated and the former is Godawful... and outdated. If there are any other leaked drafts out there, post links to them here. If you have downloaded a draft from a site that's since gone bust, step forward and offer to send it to anyone who asks via PM. It doesn't matter how common you think this knowledge is, tell us what you know. And if you don't know, don't pretend to know.

No link, no proof, no story. Period.

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This is truly a madhouse. And I'm the lunatic running it. I've spent three years wondering if I should be proud or ashamed.

Some folks really do need to brush up on their Watchmen researching skills.

Two further FULL scripts have been widely available online for well over a year now, links having been posted countless times across seemingly dozens of fanboy sites. For all those who somehow missed them first, second, and fifty-third times round:

David Hayter's (yes, Solid Snake) third draft from as far back as 2003:

http://www.sendspace.com/file/dhl9pk

...and that review over at Latino Review? Here, why not read the entire first script effort from Alex Tse himself instead:

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=O13A0VMR

Now, spend any time at said dozens of fanboy sites and you'll soon pick up on the fact that some claim to be in possession of yet ANOTHER Tse script completed far more recently than the one I've linked to and which, it's claimed, may well largely form the basis of what we'll end up seeing on screen. A script that returns the setting to the 1985 of the comic which we all KNOW Snyder intends to do for the film, but will still apparently includes some quite significant changes from that which Alan Moore wrote and which is causing much gnashing of teeth among some fans.

You know who you are. Vynson, I do believe I'm looking to you to jump in on this thread at some point.

What a heated topic. Listen, I didn't bring up the script thing to get people arguing over who has the real one and if so-and-so really has one, and why won't they share, etc. Maybe some of this board's users have a shooting script, maybe they just think they do. Whatever.

All I meant to say is, if we're discussing in a thread whether something should be in the movie or not, I don't think an appropriate response is, "Well it won't be in the movie, its not in the script." Bottom line is, no matter how reliable a script's source is, everyone knows countless revisions happen even while filming. So unless you run the copy machine over at the WB "Script Room," we don't really know what will be in this movie.

I like the idea of the script being its own thread. Looks like it will be an active topic too.

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Those who dance are considered insane by those who can't hear the music - George Carlin

I should also add that screenplays change over time. I can tell you from experience that a fair bit can change in a year.

Also, I apologize if I seemed a bit... well, rude, for lack of a better word. I just want to get this out of the way.

Thanks for the links, CLINT. It'll help all of us immensely if all the screenplay drafts are on this site somewhere.

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This is truly a madhouse. And I'm the lunatic running it. I've spent three years wondering if I should be proud or ashamed.

Good enough for me. I just wanted folks to be clear when they post something and say "its in the script." Even thought Vyn has a lot of street cred in the Watchmen community, there are going to be folks on this board who don't know who he is. Bottom line, for everyone, I would appreciate that if you mention a script detail in a thread, tell us what script you're referring to. This way, we can keep it all clear in our heads.

And Vyn, if anyone harasses you through this board to get a copy of your script, let me know and we'll show them the door.

In light of all of this talk, I present to you a new section on the main site where you can get all of the sordid details on the scripts available (and download them): http://www.watchmencomicmovie.com/watchmen-movie-scripts.php

How's that for service...

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Those who dance are considered insane by those who can't hear the music - George Carlin

Nicely done, Doomsday! Oh, and Vynson -- I wasn't aware that you were given the screenplay on condition of anonymity. You've already forgiven us for not believing you, so what say I forgive you for withholding the screenplay and we'll all forget about the whole thing?

For my part, I only read part of the Hamm draft. I could barely get through a quarter of it before skipping right to the end -- and screaming every curse word in my considerable vocabulary. Truly Godawful.

Having read the Tse draft, I'm confident it's not even close to the final version. Primarily, this is because Snyder has acknowledged that Jeffrey Dean Morgan would have to be aged back to 19 and the casting sheet for Sally Jupiter called for "some nudity." This adds up to a portrayal of the rape scene, which was only mentioned in the Tse draft. Also, we know how hard Snyder and his wife are pushing for The Black Freighter. I can't imagine they'd get much traction on that if the Bernies weren't involved somehow (they're not in the Tse draft).

Still, while the Tse draft had shortcomings and the ending left a lot to be desired, I have faith. Can't wait to see what the final adaptation ends up looking like.

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This is truly a madhouse. And I'm the lunatic running it. I've spent three years wondering if I should be proud or ashamed.

With Tse's 1st draft, there are a lot of changes I can live with, but I cringed most at page 15, where Doug Roth interviews Viedt in such a way as to basically plant a neon sign above him by first asking if he'd acknowledge that he's "considered the world's smartest man", and then Veidt himself makes things outrageously obvious that he's behind something, by saying he has "big plans".

...And also, so Dr. Manhattan's advances in fuel/battery technology haven't happened yet? So I guess no electric cars driving around? This world is LESS different from ours than Moore & Gibbons saw it?

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"HEY, man, I ain't buyin' THIS! Ripoff story ain't go no ENDIN'!"

Did I hear my name invoked?



I did, and by the infamous (snicker) Vynson no less.

I'll back up Vynson on everything he's said about the screenplay. It's bad.

Before you ask, I promised not to share it, as well. My word is my bond. So, if you want to send me dirty pictures, you can at least trust me not to tell anyone.

Nice to have you on board finger. Welcome to the machine.

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Those who dance are considered insane by those who can't hear the music - George Carlin

Pleasure to have you with us, Broken Finger.

So, you and Vynson both have access to this highly classified 11/06 Tse draft and you both say it sucks. Fine.

But here's the more important question: Do we have any reason to believe that the script has changed or improved in the ten months since November of last year? Has Snyder said anything, has some casting detail let slip that contradicts anything in the Tse draft?

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This is truly a madhouse. And I'm the lunatic running it. I've spent three years wondering if I should be proud or ashamed.

Hi, I'm new. Have been a fan of WATCHMEN for 20 years. Around 1990, I found a copy of Sam Hamm's spec script at an SF con. Was slightly impressed at his condensation of story into a standard 2-hour script but was horrified at his goodguy-badguy characters (all the story's moral ambiguity had been eliminated). Went home and wrote my own script - 330 pages long even though I cut out 30% of the graphic novel. We have to realize that most of the graphic novel will not be in the movie because of time constraints; my real hope is that the novel's attitude and tone will be carried over (as in the movie version of THE RIGHT STUFF).

Welcome.
I don't think it's so much a question of what will be cut, more a case of the arbitrary changes that are allegedly planned, which have no significant impact on the running time but instead would appear to be geared toward aiming the movie at a more mainstream, less pure comic fandom audience. As I'm led to understand, changing the names of the hero groups, altering Rorschach's unique speech patterns, altering the manner of the attack on NY that dispenses with the hoaxed alien, and having Dan kill Veidt in the aftermath are changes that have been mooted across several discussion boards. If there's any truth in any of this, then the major concern among fans is that the comics' very attitude and tone that you refer to will be watered down and largely lost in the adaptive process.

Just so nobody reports it as an error, I was asked by WB legal to remove the Tse script download link on the Movie Scripts page.

Hurm.

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Those who dance are considered insane by those who can't hear the music - George Carlin

Let me add that they were very gracious and thanked me for all I have done with my site to date.

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Those who dance are considered insane by those who can't hear the music - George Carlin

Good clue that at least that one was the genuine article, then. Are they now going to hunt it down at the several other boards I've seen carrying a link to it?

They tend to be gracious to start with... until they don't get what they want.

It was an older draft, and it was only a link to a site that had it for download. I'm not stupid enough to have the actual script on my server.

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Those who dance are considered insane by those who can't hear the music - George Carlin

I know; I read it. It's the exact same link that places like IMDb, CHUD and SuperHeroHype have been carrying for months and months. Are WB Legal writing to them too, I wonder? I'd love to see what reaction that alleged later Tse script would provoke if it were ever to hit the net if one over a year old gets 'em so worked up.
And how long before they get back to you with another of their 'gracious requests' to take down all those scoop set photos you've posted as well, as they no doubt depict copyrighted material not cleared for release... followed by a cease and desist order not to host any more? They know you're here - Who's Watching the Watchmen Watchers?

WatchmenComicMovie.com for and by the fans it may be - 100% official and thus sanctioned and permissible it ain't. And you would consider jumping into bed with WB over this place and so by association give them a say in this message forum, too?