Watchmen comes out exactly one year from today, and to celebrate Zack Snyder has released the first batch of character photos from the film. I’m not quite sold on the costuming, but I guess its a fair contemporary adaptation of the comic book characters. Night Owl looks like a complete rip-off of Christopher Nolan’s Batman (yes, I know the character bears certain similarities to Batman in the comic, but why not make him look more unique like the comic version? Also it seems like Snyder had the art department add scratches and good to the edges of each of these photos in an attempt to try to make them look cooler than they are. The photos aren’t bad, so I’m not sure why he is resorting to such a strange effect. I’ve included photos of the comic book versions of each of the character below. Click on the images to enlarge. And please, tell me what you guys think in the comments below.
Watchmen hits theaters on March 6th 2009.
Discuss: What do you think of the big screen versions of the famous Alan Moore comic book characters?
March 5th, 2008 at 11:10 pm
I agree, Night Owl looks like a total rip off of Nolan’s Batman. All of these are rather disappointing.
March 5th, 2008 at 11:13 pm
You guys are just nit picky, c’mon! They don’t look that bad and there’s no reason to complain about the look of them or whatever… And while in this photo it looks inspired by Batman, I’ve seen it otherwise and it’s still unique - the cape especially puts it apart.
I really don’t why there is so much negativity over here on this end for these photos. I think this look incredible, absolutely stunning. They show you that Snyder definitely knows what he is doing and that this really is going to kick a lot of ass.
So please, besides the supposed “rip-off” (wah wah cry me a river) and “stuff on the edges” complaints, can you give me a REAL critique as to why these images “aren’t that good”????
March 5th, 2008 at 11:18 pm
yeah…the costuming looks a bit hoaky. Ozymandias in the comic seemed to have more of a complexion, whereas the guy cast for his part seems a bit more scrawny and wimpy for what I expected. I still don’t know exactly what I make of the whole production, but I still put a decent amount of faith in Zack Snyder as a director…
March 5th, 2008 at 11:25 pm
My first thought is “Cheesy” rorschach is the only one that looks cool. The Night Owl looks like a badly done superhero character like Ben Affleck’s costume from Daredevil.
March 5th, 2008 at 11:29 pm
CHECK IT!
Ozymandias’ suit has nipples on it. It’s official…Zak Snyder has never seen Batman & Robin.
March 5th, 2008 at 11:31 pm
Rubber nipples? Seriously!? You’ve got to be kidding me! I thought we were over that whole deal, rubber muscles too.
However, I do like the design they were going for, and the actor looks good in the part. Nite Owl’s cowl looks a tad cheesey, but so was the original, so I guess that works? And the Comedian looks PERFECT.
March 5th, 2008 at 11:32 pm
I gotta say though Silk Spectre and Comedian look great. Night Owl looks a bit much and Ozymandias looks like he’s from the undead, Rorschach will have a morphing mask I read, so it’s not all that bad though.
March 5th, 2008 at 11:56 pm
They need to put a picture of Dr. Manhattan up.
March 6th, 2008 at 12:03 am
they definately have a newer leather feel to em, but they look cool as shit. the rorshach photo isn’t really a good quality pic, but the one a week ago with the fire was great. i just cannot wait for this movie!! also, snyder is allowed to borrow from other films, because so many have borrowed from the watchmen.
@ alex i’m with you man, the nit-picking gets old.
March 6th, 2008 at 12:07 am
The comedian and silk spectre look fantastic. The rest look a little extra silly because they are out of context.
I have to say whoever added the “grunge” effects to these photos appears to have downloaded photoshop yesterday. What the hell? These are essentially the most common grunge brushes on the interwebs and they are being used so poorly it hurts.
March 6th, 2008 at 12:11 am
Wow, Peter..lost some serious respect for you. Added grunge and scratches to make it look cool? Good thing we got these instead of those amazing shots of them behind ag green screen!
Try learning what being an artist is about, sorry Zach Snyder didn’t hand feed you the polaroid copies.
Jesus, some peoples ignorance really amazes me.
March 6th, 2008 at 12:12 am
Another thing is that half of you are bitching over the costumes looking cheesy.
HAVE ANY OF YOU READ THE COMIC? All the fucking designs are hoakey!
March 6th, 2008 at 12:21 am
Dan: Talk about ignorance….
Clearly we’re not looking for green screen screen photos. I’m happy with the backgrounds in the photos, its the grindhouse like splatter and scratches in the foreground which seem so unneeded. It reminded me of something trying to be cool, when it actually wasn’t - kinda like those old Mountain Dew “Extreme” commercials. And don’t even pretend that Snyder is using the splatters and scratches to hide the characters and create some mystique. Nothing is hidden. It’s clearly a style idea to give the photos more excitement.
March 6th, 2008 at 12:24 am
Pete, I agree. The Grindhouse-like aesthetic is being used for cool factor, to appeal to the 300 generation, and nothing more.
March 6th, 2008 at 12:34 am
look terrible. Absoloutly terrible.
March 6th, 2008 at 12:35 am
what ever happened to the whole 80’s vibe Synder was planning on doing? they look too ‘modern-day superhero’… Definately should of left this Alan Moore classic alone.
March 6th, 2008 at 12:35 am
All I’ve got is Yes. I was excited before, and I’m still excited now. I think Snyder’s gonna knock this one outta the park, and everything that is released just keeps making it look better and better.
March 6th, 2008 at 12:37 am
however, the comedian does look prettay f***** cool.
March 6th, 2008 at 12:45 am
Holy shit, these look cool. I’m very happy with what im seeing here.
March 6th, 2008 at 12:48 am
That looks nothing like a ripoff of Nolan’s Batman. I would laugh if I saw that in a dark alley.
March 6th, 2008 at 12:57 am
By the way for you guys “complaining” about the effects on these photos. These are “poster mock-ups”. I don’t see a problem here since it’s well a poster mock-up…
Nightowl really looks like the comic version brought over into the real world. Even the markings on his head and the cowl around his upper-chest have the same linework design. The only thing that seems to be “missing” are the wing-like attachments coming off the top of his head. But since it’s a front shot, they could be there and we can’t see them? The more I look at these the more I like them. I can’t wait to see Manhattan.
March 6th, 2008 at 1:00 am
Okay Peter, checkmate on that. It’s too appeal to a larger crowd, that’s fine. But still, to sound like a broken record, we basically answered each other. It’s for effect.
Though, I don’t think everyone should chop off their Watchmen boners until they actually see footage.
March 6th, 2008 at 1:01 am
These look fantastic.
The costumes needed to be “updated” and transformed into something that wont look ridiculous on screen. If, for example they literally made Night Owl’s costume the way it looks in the comic, it would look something like the costumes from the Batman TV series from the 60’s.
March 6th, 2008 at 1:07 am
Agreed with both dan and hell oh. The other problem is even these photos are in front of still shots of some backgrounds while others look like super-imposed concepts.
Considering how gritty and dirty some of the city shots I’ve seen. These guys seem to look like they will meld really well into that setting. I want to see footgae, but I am happy Snyder kept to the original look in many ways from the comics and didn’t “X-Menize” them with dorky, black, leather outfits with no character.
March 6th, 2008 at 1:12 am
dan: I commented on the stylized markings because I think they are counter productive in the sense that they don’t actually make the photos look cooler, but instead lamer for trying to look cool. Just my opinion.
Awesome: I really want to see this film, loved the comic. My big concern when this was first announced was that they would make the character look too 60’s style like the old Batman tv series, or try to make the characters look like the superheroes the mainstream audiences have already seen. I believe to them, Night Owl will look like a lame knock off of Batman, and nothing more. Also, the six pack on Ozy makes him look even more ridiculous than is to be expected.
March 6th, 2008 at 1:15 am
Peter,
I don’t know man, the more I look at these the more they’re really kicking in. Right now i’m leaving it up to these just being roughly put together mock-ups. And I look forward to just seeing them in footage. I understand the worry, but I have to say im pretty confident here. And to be honest Nightowl is suppose to be a Batman knock-off :P
But I really can’t see how else his costume could have been translated without going with the spandex route and that would have been horribly garish. I like that they did keep his unique “physique” inatc :)
March 6th, 2008 at 1:24 am
They could have made him more brown than the blackish gold color, which from a distance looks very Batman Begins. They also could have gone more Tim Burton Batmanish, and not used the same type of armor that the Batsuit employs. Just some ideas
I agree, I want to see footage, and am not making a complete judgement of the film right here and now. But my job is to be a critic, give my opinion on what was done right, what wasn’t, and give my overall feelings on what is presented. Tonight it was some photos. This isn’t directed at you Awesome, but I’ve noticed others making your same statement that “You should wait until you see footage before you judge it” and I think that is so ridiculous. I’m a blogger. I get paid to make judgements and give an opinion, good bad or indifferent. I’m sure if I made a negative judgment on the eventual trailer, the same people would say “Wait until you see the film before you can complain” Sorry to rant, off to bed.
March 6th, 2008 at 1:25 am
I found this over at AICN and I agree with Moriarty’s comments:
“The Thing To Keep In Mind…is that all the art in the books was not just Dave Gibbons drawing in a vacuum, but reacting to the “dark” trend in comics for the few years prior to the writing of that book.
What you’ll see in the film is obviously based on the book, but it’s also just as much a comment on the superhero films of the last few years. So these costumes should make you think of the book, but they should also be a reaction to the way all superhero movies are designed now, and a deconstruction of that.”
March 6th, 2008 at 1:28 am
Peter I totally understand :)
I’m a huge Watchmen sicko. So I do my best to be on the fence about this stuff. I appreciate the explanations here and well this is what this forum is for. And I can see your problems with these costumes.
But so far I like it. One thing I would like ot know is how much of the original coloring of these costumes was effected. If you notice on these mock-ups. Theres a lot of color manipulation. I hate that since i’m sure its going to look very different in film. So its more of a waiting game I guess.
March 6th, 2008 at 1:40 am
Before I jet to bed, just wanted to respond to Moriarty’s comments. I would agree with the “reaction to the way all superhero movies are designed now, and a deconstruction of that” idea if the setting for the film was today, or even in the last 10 years, but isn’t it set an alternative yesteryear (1985 was it?). I’m not saying that they should have stuck close to the comic book designs, because the characters would have looked just silly, but I think a good medium would have been the early 90’s Burton era Batman style costumes. That would have been a good medium. Okay, I’m done, off to bed.
March 6th, 2008 at 2:15 am
LOOK GREAT.
i’m sure they look better when actors are moving around. BTW these pics are awesome… i’m officially stoked for the film
March 6th, 2008 at 2:39 am
What, no Dr. Manhattan?
Other than the absense of the blue fellow, the pics are badass.
March 6th, 2008 at 2:59 am
They look amazing.
March 6th, 2008 at 3:02 am
Eeesh. At least they got Rorschach right.
I’m not thinking Chris Nolan’s Batman. One look at the Comedian’s mask and I’m thinking Batman Forever. Ozymandias’ duds remind me of the black and silver Batman/Robin/Batgirl uniforms from that last Schumaker piece of crap.
I actually just checked IMDB to see if the costume designer worked on those movies. Nah. He worked on The Nanny Diaries, though.
I’m not going to make any judgments yet. The poses and lighting really don’t say a damn thing about how the movie’s gonna look. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Let’s wait for the trailer.
BUT REALLY GUYS, COME ON… THOSE WEATHERING EFFECTS ON THE EDGE OF THE PHOTOS ARE EXTREME, RIGHT?!
March 6th, 2008 at 3:15 am
I have such a mixed feeling about this movie - I WANT to look forward to it, but I just don’t know if it can be done well enough to compare to the comic. Looking at the costumes, the only one that really bugs me is Ozymandias. His design seems to completely different than his comic version and what his character is supposed to symbolize and BE.
March 6th, 2008 at 3:28 am
Probably going to look better on celluloid, still photos can always be harsh. But, I think the designs are great.
March 6th, 2008 at 4:46 am
Now i love the comic, always have always will. But my main gripe was the costume designs (bar Rorschach and The Comedian), can you really take Ozymandias seriously in that get up? And do you think people would have taken the film seriously if they had stuck exactly to those costumes? they would be pissing themselves laughing around about now. So i was really worrying about what they where going to do with the costumes in the film, and I’m chuffed to bits with what they have done. I’m really looking forward to this now.
March 6th, 2008 at 5:24 am
they ruined ozymandias
rorschach looks great
the rest just don’t look like you could take them seriously…like, he’s directing alan moore - he’s not in ott frank miller territory anymore, fidelity should be secondary to verisimilitude.
March 6th, 2008 at 6:45 am
People complaining about the costumes looks cheesy clearly have never read the graphic novel. They’re supposed to look cheesy! In the book, the costumes acted as commentaries on both of the characters and the state of superhero lore.
Just based off these pictures, I can tell that the costume department did an amazing job of keeping the message behind the costumes. It actually seems like these are based more off superhero movie trends, as opposed to superhero comics. I mean, look at Ozymandias’ costume; if giving the most powerful character in the book bat-nipples isn’t a mocking take off Schumacher, I don’t know what is. Also, check out the smaller details in the outfits, like Silk Spectre’s garters and the zipper in the middle of Nite Owl’s suit. If Snyder only want the costumes to look cool, I doubt he would have let the costume department add things like that.
March 6th, 2008 at 7:00 am
Silk Spectre looks great.
Comedian looks good too, except his hair is so fake looking, it looks like part of his costume.
March 6th, 2008 at 7:17 am
Originally, I had faith in Snyder given his damn-faithful interpretation of Miller’s 300. He got the look, the feel, and the attitude of the movie just completely perfect which, when it come to comic book movies, is difficult to say the least. But upon seeing these pictures of the costumes, I gotta say I’m a little worried. True, they’re just costumes and probably meant to be a bit silly in the first place, but in the case of Watchmen, the costumes so represented to status quo and personalities of the characters indicative of the time they were portrayed in. Given that Watchmen is supposed to be set exactly as the comic, which is in a somewhat alternate version of the late 80s, the costumes designs scream late 90s and that’s almost an immediate kiss of death in the eyes of a fanboy checking out the progress of such a highly anticipated movie.
My initial reaction was, “Ass.”…especially considering the way-wrong look of Ozymandias. Anyone who’s ever read the book knows that this guy would never develop an outfit like that. His ego, for one, wouldn’t allow it. Where’s all the shiny gold? The flowing regality of his purple tunic? This guy thought he was a god, not a superhero, and sorry guys, but that current outfit does not accurately reflect who Ozymandias is, which is kinda key given his ultimate role in the story.
So, bottom line: this movie, in my opinion, is going to be a mistake and won’t be the flick we were all hoping Snyder would make it to be. Maybe it’s the investors…I don’t know, but if these guys don’t have enough respect or insight or understanding of the comic to see that something as trite as costumes are as vital to the storytelling and character construction as whatever “story” they have set up in the script….then I’ve a sneaking suspicion that they won’t have enough creative direction to make this thing anywhere near as brilliant as the comic.
March 6th, 2008 at 7:39 am
I’m really sad that they’re making this movie against Moore’s wishes. I’ve never actually looked at Watchman as a typical Superhero movie. The characters that Gibbons and Moore created exposed the vulnerable nature of the Superhero. I hate to see them the way they are now all polished up and cool when the costumes are supposed to look hoaky and dorky. The only two costumes that work for me Are Rorschach and Silk Spectre. Night Owl and The Comedian lack the gruby look that thet should have. Has anyone thought about hw they’re gonna potray Jon? The guy walks around in the nude half the time.
March 6th, 2008 at 8:28 am
So long as Rorschach still holds it down. It’s all about how the story holds together
March 6th, 2008 at 8:32 am
I like them but we could have done with a little less of the rubber muscles complete with what appears to be nipples. I really don’t think that you can escape nightowl looking like batman. Seems they did as much as possible to seperate the two with the “feather” look but it should be colored a little differently. The picture of rorschach would also be better if it was in color… like the original set pictures with him walking down the street… that looked awesome.
March 6th, 2008 at 9:33 am
Keep in mind this thing is placed in the 1980s, which makes Comedian’s costume much more believable.
Rorschach looks about perfect. When we saw one of those first caps I was a little off put by the coat being leather (I always pictured it being cloth like) but it’s totally fine.
I think Ozymandias looks awesome but he sort of looks evil which might take away the surprise that he’s the bad guy.
Nite Owl looks fine. Pretty awesome even.
March 6th, 2008 at 9:38 am
costumes all look very Flash movie circa 1980’s.
March 6th, 2008 at 9:47 am
BigmanSmallMouth, you know what else might take away the surprise of Ozymandias? YOU SAYING HE’S THE DAMN BAD GUY.
March 6th, 2008 at 9:48 am
Yeah, isn’t Nite Owl based on Blue Beetle with a dash of Batman anyway? SO I do actually like his costume.
And about Ozy. Are people going to attack the movie gladiator because that has body armor too? Do I think it’s BOSS? I need to see it in motion. It’s growing on me, but I can’t wait to hear the Batman & Robin comparisons. Funny at first, but with the nature of the internet, lame by the next min.
Like what someone here said, the costumes are suppose to be over-the-top, just like the comic book.
March 6th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
I think they look pretty cool, not too bright, but obviously Rorschach is cooler, as is his costume because its something I can put together.
Some of you might complain but realize brightly colored spandex doesn’t look good on film, in the sixties yeah it looks cool but now it shouts “I’ma deranged aerobics instructor look at me!!” so get over it who knows the movie’s story and acting might make up for the costumes, but I could be wrong, I actually thought Blade: Trinity was going to be great movie, nope.
March 6th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
Anyone who says WATCHMEN is “over the top” never read the damn book. WATCHMEN is not a campy, over-the-top comic book. Major Bummer was. Vampirella was. Frickin’ the new run on Spider-man is!!
WATCHMEN is a political/social commentary using the influence of 80s-90s superheros/comics as a method to tell a story.
Read the book!!!!!
March 6th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
as for the costumes, i think the only one that looks rather good is silk spectre. ozymandias looks like a scared little boy and the nippels are a big no-no (zack should have known better). night owl also looks weird, way too cool for what he really was (just a resourceful guy with loads of money on a suit), and even though the comedian is almost there, the hair is just so ridiculous it hurts.
on other news, it’s sad that they are making this movie. there is this weird idea going around that comics are really validated only once they get a film adaptation. and the truth is that the cases in which these don’t suck monkey balls are few and far apart.
i, for one, am not going to waste my time and money in watching this movie. specially not if that money is going into the pocket’s of the people who made it as a message saying “please make more of this and feed me more of your crap”.
anybody who respects either this magnificent story or moore’s work should have said no to the project. terry gilliam was right.
do yourselves a favour and read the book.
March 6th, 2008 at 1:17 pm
rorscharch looks decent.
March 6th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
ugh ozymandiaz looks way too young and whats with the black costume? rorschach and the comedian look alright though.
March 6th, 2008 at 2:27 pm
Am i the only one that actually read this comic?
March 6th, 2008 at 2:41 pm
Alan: I’ve read it multiple times.
But really, why all the hate? They’re just some badly Photoshopped pictures. Are people really that obsessive that they have to complain about the color of Ozymandias’s outfit? The movie version of Silk Spectre II has no skirt. Oh no.
March 6th, 2008 at 2:44 pm
I’ve read it about three or four times. It’s an amazing work. And also, somebody mentioned before about how they are doing it without Moore’s permission, but Moore wasn’t crazy about any of the film adaptations of his work so it’s done and done.
March 6th, 2008 at 2:51 pm
In addition to Kapit, god forbid anyone decides to do their own artistic vision with an existing work.
March 6th, 2008 at 4:18 pm
whatever…
other than doctor manhattan, the characters’ designs were all fairly corny anyways. the acting matters more than anything, which is why the unknown actors have me concerned. we don’t need this to be another daredevil (shudder)…
i hope he uses cgi or something to make rorschach’s mask blots shift and change…
March 6th, 2008 at 4:23 pm
I don’t know. I just don’t know. Seeing characters from my favorite piece of fiction, standing tall, in the flesh….. I’m still not sold. Now I’m wondering if this movie should have went the way of Beowolf. I’ll keep an open mind, but it’s gonna be hard as hell to keep my expectations in check. I mean…this is The Watchmen. If you care about comics, then you understand the importance of this book. It helped legitimize comics as a respectable medium. It wowed even the most avid reader at the time. Twenty one years later, and it still holds up.
“Does it all work out, in the end?”
“‘The End’? Nothing ever ends.”
Fuck. Please don’t fuck this up Snyder.
March 6th, 2008 at 5:32 pm
“I agree, Night Owl looks like a total rip off of Nolan’s Batman.” God, the lack of thought going into commentary on this movie is going to drive me mad. Does nobody realize that “Night Owl” (I mean, come on, just look at the name) is -supposed- to reflect Batman? To call him a parody would be too strong a word, but with his nocturnal nature and secret cave HQ, it’s obvious he was always meant to echo the caped crusader.
March 6th, 2008 at 5:58 pm
lol oh my god WTF is this? LMAO
March 6th, 2008 at 10:04 pm
80% of comments going “ozymandias looks like batman” “i laugh at those costumes” “they are all a rip off” seems from 14 years old that read bout watchmen from wikipedia or worst.
I think honestly that the worst that could happen is to start revealing stuff so early… and all this started with the new batman movie, people start complaining even before knowing what the movie is all about.
Still have faith on Snyder, right now can’t wait to see everything put together.
March 6th, 2008 at 10:38 pm
I hate to resort to such low intelligent name calling, but some of you are fucking retards.
Read the comic for chrissake, like ß said, half of you probably just read Wikipedia’s definition of the comic.
Seriously, ignorance is bliss.
March 7th, 2008 at 1:12 am
For all your elitist fools arguing that Niteowl looks like a Batman ripoff, remember, these are all ripoffs of characters that already existed.
You narrowminded know-it-alls probably didn’t even stop to think that Dreiberg was based on Ted Kord, the Blue Beetle who was basically created to compete with Batman for sales.
So shut up, don’t critique pictures that look great with arguments that don’t make sense.
March 7th, 2008 at 7:36 am
I hate the ozymandias’s suit. Rubber muscles and nipples? C’mon…
March 11th, 2008 at 9:34 pm
All the comments about the costumes are totally understandable.This kind of thing is happening with all the superhero themed movies, so much hinging on the fan reaction.Thats a damn shame.I remember reading this for the first time and just being in total awe of what the graphic novel achieved.All that brilliance is going to be lost in translation,theres simply no point in sniping over these photos. I’m sure Mr. Snyder is a gifted filmaker,but this is simply a battle already lost.I can’t sit here and say I wont see it for one simple fact. My little brother wants to see it and im going to have to explain whats going on to him,because the illiterate twat wont spend the time to READ the dmn thing.I’m sure that the movie will capture some aspects of the story, but in the end, it has no chance of even rivaling a cliffs notes synopsis of what the novel was.Why dont we all try reading it again instead of waiting for it to come out so we can spend all our waking hours tearing it down?
March 15th, 2008 at 7:45 pm
not faithfull to the looks of the charachters, but completely nails the feelings
March 18th, 2008 at 4:46 am
Needed updating- or would have looked Camper than a row of tents!!
Wigs and nipples-Sctarches on promo pics
You lot need to get a life!!? Ha Ha!
Just wait for the trailer.
Nuff said.
March 18th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
John Knight lot need to learn how to spell.
Tard.
This movie is going to be awesome, but not Watchmen caliber awesome.
April 6th, 2008 at 10:26 pm
I’m not totally sold on Ozymandias or Night Owl, as Ozymandias looks way overdone (and that’s saying something) and I always pictured Night Owl as having a more home-made feel to his costume rather than the (obviously) professionally done look he’s got going here, in addition to the whole Batman rip-off thing. But I think Rorschach, the Comedian, and Silk Spectre are dead on. Now if we can get a shot of Dr. Manhattan we’ll be all set.
August 12th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
Nite-Owl’s costume HAD to be updated. The old one looked too much like a costume on a kid’s show… also, the placement of the moon on the old costume would have caused Drieberg to stab himself if he so much as bent forward.
The other costumes had some gloss added to them, but nothing that really destroys the images the comic put forth.
As for Ozy looking skinny, try to remember that not everyone can have a massive weightlifter’s build. You’re too used to looking at comic book characters. The drawn proportions are not entirely normal.