Entertainment Weekly July 25, 2008 cover.

Highlights from ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY’s July 25, 2008 issue

(on newsstands nationwide Monday, July 21):

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY DEBUTS ITS FIRST-EVER COMIC-CON PREVIEW ISSUE

AN EXCLUSIVE FIRST LOOK AT 300 DIRECTOR ZACK SNYDER’S WATCHMEN AND ADDITIONAL FIRST LOOKS AND EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS FROM THE MOST HIGHLY ANTICIPATED MOVIES, TV SHOWS, GAMES AND COMIC BOOKS T COMIC-CON 2008

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY READERS TO RECEIVE FREE ACCESS TO DEBUT EPISODE OF WATCHMEN MOTION COMIC FOR A LIMITED TIME

Dr. Manhattan. Rorschach. Ozymandias. Nite Owl. Silk Spectre. The Comedian. They’re comic-book superheroes that aren’t exactly household names, but if Zack Snyder, the director of the sword-and-sandals smash 300 has his way, the characters of Watchmen will become icons as explosive as any state-of-the-art weapon. "In my movie, Superman doesn’t care about humanity, Batman can’t get it up, and the bad guy wants world peace," Snyder says with a smirk. "Will Watchmen be the end of superhero movies? Probably not. But it sure will kick them in the gut."

Warner Brothers’ Watchmen won’t hit theaters until March 6, 2009, but Snyder and his cast are about to face a trial by fire: On July 25, they’re screening special teaser footage for thou­sands in San Diego at the annual summit of cult pop, Comic-Con. The movie is an R-rated, $100 million adaptation of the smartest, most subversive superhero story ever created. Published by DC Comics in 1986 and routinely hailed as a literary masterpiece, the 12-issue saga written by Alan Moore and drawn by Dave Gibbons is set in 1985, but in an alternate reality where Richard Nixon is serving his fifth term as president and costumed crime-fighting has been outlawed.  The story begins with the murder of a retired superhero named the Comedian. Another ex-superhero, Rorschach, believes that someone is trying to assassinate his former colleagues. A twisty plot unfolds, enveloping an array of bizarre, damaged, and bracingly human fantasy people.

Watchmen was told with a sophistication unprecedented for the genre. “At the time, comic books had hit the ceiling,” Snyder says. “Superman had done everything he could do; the X-Men and Fantastic Four had faced every possible bad guy and end-of-the-world scenario. And then Watchmen came along and took it to the next level by breaking all the rules.” Snyder believes the global multiplex is now ripe for a similar revolution. “The average movie audience has seen so many superhero movies,” he says. “And some of this stuff is hard to take seriously. I mean, The Hulk? Come on.” Snyder remembers screening some Watchmen footage for an unnamed studio executive. Afterward, Sny­der says, the exec turned to him and said, “This makes Superman look stupid.”

Many in Hollywood have tried to get Watchmen on the screen and failed, including directors Terry Gilliam (Brazil), Darren Aronofsky (The Fountain), and most recently, Bourne Supremacy director Paul Greengrass. It fell into Snyder’s lap after a regime change at Paramount Pictures led to the demise of Greengrass and David Hayter’s (X-Men) version. Warner Bros. acquired the rights in late 2005, while Snyder was working on 300 for the studio. He was alarmed when he heard about the deal, but after some soul-searching, his fear of seeing a bad Watchmen movie trumped his fear of trying to make a great one. “They were going to do it anyway,” he says. “And that made me nervous.” Snyder persuaded War­ner Bros. to abandon the Greengrass/Hayter script and hew as faithfully as possible to the comic.

Before signing on as director, Snyder had belonged to a school of thought that believed Watchmen couldn’t and maybe shouldn’t be made into a movie. That school still includes Watchmen creator Moore, who has disavowed the film. “Watchmen works perfectly fine as a comic,” says the British scribe, who has scrubbed his name from the film’s credits and abdicated his royalty check to Gibbons. “There are things we did that could only work in a com­ic, and were indeed de­signed to show off the things that comics can do that other media can’t.”

That trust extended to casting. Daniel Craig, Jude Law, and Sigourney Weaver were said to be interested in or attached to the Greengrass production, but Snyder felt celebrity would detract from Watchmen substance. There’s barely a brand-name star among his cast. Patrick Wilson (Angels in America) came aboard first and immediately started packing on weight to play the potbellied, middle-aged Nite Owl. Oscar nominee Jackie Earle Haley (Little Children) campaigned for the role of Rorschach—the comic’s most popular character—by recruiting 14 friends to pro­duce a video of himself performing sequences from the comic book. “It was a little labor of love, man,” he says. “Kind of cheesy, but for an audition piece, it sufficed.”

Some of the actors struggled with fleshing out their complex, often corrupt characters. Jeffrey Dean Morgan (TV’s Supernatural), who plays the Comedian, must carry out repellent acts of violence, but still manage to make the audience care about his death—and his big secrets. “Some of the things this guy does, you can’t make excuses for, even as an actor,” Morgan says. “Your instinct is to just play the guy as a bastard, but you can’t.” For Billy Crudup (Jesus’ Son), the challenges were both physical and mental. His CG-ren­dered Dr. Manhattan is bald, blue, and often buck naked. “It’s really hard to feel like the master of all matter when the other actor can do little more than laugh in your face,” Crudup says. “I had to constantly reference the picture of the character, because if I caught the slightest glimpse of myself in any reflective surface, the illusion was crushed.”

Based on footage Snyder screened for EW, at least, the work seems to have been worth it. Multiple scenes—the Comedian’s murder, Rorschach’s introduction, Dr. Manhat­tan’s origin, and a title sequence that flies through the history of Watchmen America, set to Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are A-Changin’”—suggest a film that may capture more of Watchmen than anyone thought possible. Sure, there have been changes. But Snyder’s film clearly seeks to emulate the comic. The Gunga Diner, the “Who Watches the Watchmen?” graffiti, the blood-splashed smiley-face button evoking a doomsday clock—it’s all there.

Now comes the hard part: keeping it there. Snyder’s current three-hour cut won’t be unspooling in theaters next March. Robinov says two hours and 25 minutes is more realistic. “Run­ning time is dictated by how you are engaged,” Robinov says. “The challenge is to make a movie that can satisfy the fan but engage the typical moviegoer,” he says. “I think that’s how Zack feels too.”  He does, but it won’t be easy. “I keep telling them, ‘Guys, I can’t take this out!’” Snyder says. “‘Don’t you understand?! If I f- - - this up, I might as well start making romantic comedies!’ ” On July 18, Watchmen’s first trailer hits theaters, hooked to The Dark Knight. Snyder hopes the fanboys under­stand that even with these changes, no other version of the film that preceded him dared to be this faithful. And as he spends the next eight months slicing and fine-tuning, he prays his fellow Watchmenphiles will cut him a little slack. “They have a chance to support something that I think legitimizes the superhero-movie genre for everyone who says superhero movies are stupid, popcorn bulls- - -,” he says. “Hopefully, Watchmen can get in their faces and change their minds.” (Cover Story, Page 22)

Link to story on EW.com:  http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20213273,00.html

Nisha Gopalan interviews Alan Moore: http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20213004,00.html

EW READERS GET FREE EXCLUSIVE ACCESS TO NEW WATCHMEN MOTION COMIC ON iTUNES
EW.com and Entertainment Weekly readers will be the first to download the highly anticipated “Warner Premiere Motion Comics” episode of “Watchmen.”  Motion Comics draw on a massive amount of source material to bring a visually engaging experience to life through the use of subtle movements, voice-overs, sweeping music scores and stunning comic book artwork.  For the next two weeks, the first chapter of the “Watchmen” Motion Comic will be available as a free iTunes download via Entertainment Weekly’s website at http://www.ew.com/watchmen. 

COMIC-CON 2008 PREVIEW
This week’s issue dives deep into Comic-Con 2008 with first looks and exclusive photos from the most highly anticipated movies, TV shows, video games and comic books.  Featuring first looks at Watchmen, the Star Trek movie poster and Terminator Salvation with Christian Bale, EW has it all.  Other exclusive photos include looks at Joss Whedon’s Dollhouse, The Day the Earth Stood Still, DC Universe Online, Land of the Lost, Fringe, Max Payne, RocknRolla, Drag Me to Hell, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (Vol. III): Century, The Spirit and Ender’s Game.  Each photo is accompanied by Comic-Con plans for every movie, TV show, game and comic book.

Plus: For those less familiar with Comic-Con, EW has put together a brief timeline and summary describing the significance of the unconventional convention that began nearly 40 years ago. (Feature, Page 29)

Link to story on EW.com:  http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20213200,00.html

TOP 10 EMMY SNUBS
A new round of Emmy nominations means a new round of snubbed actors and shows.  In their honor, this week’s Entertainment Weekly awards history’s egregiously unrewarded with our list of Emmy’s biggest oversights ever.

Roseanne
Andy Griffith, The Andy Griffith Show
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Lauren Graham, Gilmore Girls
The Honeymooners
Michael Landon, Bonanza and Little House on the Prairie
Norman Fell, Three’s Company
Heather Locklear, Melrose Place
Bob Newhart, The Bob Newhart Show
Courteney Cox, Friends
(Column, Page 57)

Link to story on EW.com:  http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20213234,00.html

WANT MORE?
Ad Nauseam – Your favorite shows are selling you far more than story lines as product placement is taking over TV.  This week’s Entertainment Weekly takes a look at how far it will go.  (Page 38)

Sugarland – With a new album influenced by R.E.M., Marvin Gaye and U2, Sugarland is the most exciting country act since the Dixie Chicks.  (Page 42)

First Look – Entertainment Weekly goes behind the scenes of Hollywood’s biggest projects with exclusive first looks, including one of Nicole Richie in character for her guest appearance on Chuck.  “She was a cheerleader,” says Richie of her character, Heather.  “Kind of that bitchy meangirl.”  Other exclusive looks include: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Righteous Kill, and Friday the 13th. (Page 4) 

Style: The Jonas Brothers – Their sound may be Disney pop, but the Jonas Brothers have a look that evokes an entirely different playlist. EW breaks down the fraternal trio’s summer wear; artist by artist. (Page 16)

News + Notes – Katherine Heigl and Grey’s Anatomy may be in critical condition – EW takes a look at whether Heigl’s TV alter ego is in for a deadly diagnosis, as insiders say killing Izzie may be the most obvious way to silence the candid actress….A look at Quentin Tarantino’s epic WWII script….Britney Spears’ new album…Justin Theroux is taking on the script for Iron Man 2….A deep dive look at Live Nation….Hit List….Monitor…Bullseye.  (Page 6)

Katherine Heigl Kicks Heinie – Columnist Mark Harris wonders why we slam an actress for (gasp) speaking her mind. (Page 18)

The Must List – Ten things you must hear, see, do this week.  (Page 76)

GET THE DAILY ENTERTAINMENT SCOOP ON EW.COM

Box Office Preview: The Dark Knight:  Christian Bale’s latest Batman movie should easily beat fellow newcomers Mamma Mia! And Space Chimps, but EW.com takes a look at how big it will actually be.  http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20213327,00.html

First Look: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince:  EW.com has an exclusive sneak peek at Daniel Radcliffe and Jim Broadbent in the November release.  Plus: First looks at the Michael Bay-produced Friday the 13th, Al Pacino and Robert De Niro’s next team-up, and other exclusive behind-the-scenes photos.  http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20210536,00.html

Heidi Klum’s 17 Project Runway Favorites:  After four seasons of fierce competition, we’ve seen thousands of moments, hundreds of looks, and dozens of personalities.  On EW.com, Klum reveals people and moments she’s liked most – Michael Kors, Chris March, corn husks – and a letdown or two.  http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20212597,00.html