As a longtime comic book enthusiast who’s witnessed the rise and fall of many iconic stories, I wholeheartedly support James Gunn‘s decision to steer clear of the Watchmen characters in the new DC Universe. The history of Watchmen is not just about its gripping narrative but also about the tumultuous relationship between Alan Moore and the various adaptations of his masterpiece.
Ever since Alan Moore published “Watchmen” in the 1980s, it has remained one of the most cherished tales to be published under the DC Comics label. Interestingly, James Gunn seems uninterested in incorporating the “Watchmen” characters into the new DC Universe. Given that Moore has openly expressed his disdain for any adaptations, sequels, or spin-offs of his masterpiece, this is quite fortunate. In fact, Gunn’s decision to exclude “Watchmen” from his multi-year plan for movies and TV shows underscores DC Studios’ dedication to honoring the wishes of the creators who brought the brand’s stories to life.
During an interview with Josh Horowitz on the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast, Gunn discussed his extensive plans for the DC Universe, involving numerous Elseworld tales. As per Gunn, DC Comics has historically delved into various iterations of its primary characters more frequently than Marvel Comics, providing a rich pool of alternate universes for the DC Studios to tap into when developing fresh movies and television series. In Gunn’s view, “Watchmen,” an exceptional comic book narrative, is a prime example of this flexibility, as it came to life solely due to DC Comics’ dedication to the Elseworlds concept.
Bringing up ‘Watchmen’ immediately sparked curiosity about whether Gunn plans to delve into a DC Universe superteam at some point. However, Gunn diplomatically declines by expressing his high regard for Alan Moore. He further admits his affection for Damon Lindelof’s HBO sequel. While Gunn tactfully avoids criticizing Warner Bros. Discovery’s ‘Watchmen’ production, it’s evident that he plans to leave the subject untouched in the near future.
Alan Moore’s Love and Hate Watchmen History
Since completing “Watchmen,” Moore has consistently resisted any efforts to expand his initial narrative. The first adaptation emerged in 2009 through Zack Snyder’s cinematic production. Although the movie mirrored Dave Gibbons’ artwork aesthetically, it significantly altered its conclusion, a contentious choice that continues to stir debate among fans. Moore opted not to view the film and requested his name be taken out of the credits.
In 2012, DC Comics expanded the world of ‘Watchmen’ with a series of nine prequel miniseries titled ‘Before Watchmen’, delving into the histories of diverse characters. Alan Moore, the creator, deemed it a shameless move and criticized DC for utilizing his creation without offering new artistic merit. This was followed by ‘Doomsday Clock’ (2017-2019), which blended ‘Watchmen’ characters into the main DC Universe, linking them with popular figures like Superman. Moore’s resentment towards DC’s exploitation of his work is so intense that he refuses to accept royalty payments from the publisher.
The 2019 HBO “Watchmen” TV show stirred up more debate. When the showrunner Lindelof wrote to Moore explaining his vision for the series as a reinterpretation of the original content, Moore flatly refused. He made it clear he wanted no involvement with any adaptations of his work, even going so far as to tell Lindelof never to contact him again. The series, which won several Emmy awards and was praised for its examination of racial injustice in America, remained unseen by Moore.
Lately, Warner Bros. Animation unveiled a two-part animated movie version of a well-known story. The goal was to stay truer to the original content by incorporating parts that were absent in past adaptations, like the “Tales of the Black Freighter” comic strip segments. Yet, Moore’s stance remained firm, as he continued to assert that Watchmen was intentionally crafted for the comic book format and that any adaptation fails to grasp the essence of the original piece.
At present, you can stream Watchmen: Chapter I on MAX. As for Chapter II, it’s currently available digitally but the date for its streaming release hasn’t been announced yet.
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2024-12-07 04:39