Zack Snyder

Interview: Jim Sturgess Across the Universe in ‘Fifty Dead Men Walking’

PatrickMcD — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 16:45:30 -0600

CHICAGO – Although the name Jim Sturgess might not be recognized, his work in ‘Across the Universe’ and ‘21’ has certainly made him identifiable. He is in a newly released film about the Irish Republican Army, “Fifty Dead Man Walking.”

Rating: 3.5/5.0

Sturgess plays real-life Martin McGartland, a stalwart soldier for the IRA in 1980s Belfast who decides to become an informant for Britain’s Special Branch, who were trying to infiltrate the IRA to quell some of the violence in Northern Ireland.

At first lured by money, McGartland becomes more aware of the lives he is saving (thus the title). With help from his contact, Fergus (Ben Kingsley), the conflicted McGartland tries desperately to do the right thing for himself and his family.

Jim Sturgess as Martin McGartland in ‘Fifty Dead Men Walking’
Photo credit: Phase 4 Films

HollywoodChicago.com interviewed lead actor Jim Sturgess. In his spirited perspective, he talks about the historical perspective on the film’s conflict, his characterization and his past films and upcoming projects.

HollywoodChicago.com: Martin McGartland still lives under a threat of elimination. How did you want to honor him through your portrayal?

Jim Sturgess: Just to show him as a real person, I think, instead of a cinematic hero – which would be way to easy to do. He was a very everyday ‘lad around town’ who was pulled every which way. He was conflicted regarding whether he was doing the right thing, and that shows the honesty of it.

He was drawn in by financial gain and as time went on and he started to save people’s lives he certainly came towards a moral perspective. It was important that he was able to be seen as a hero and a dirty rat, all in the same breath.

HC: How does the Catholic faith play into both the violence of the IRA and the hope to do the right thing as depicted through Martin’s actions?

JS: It’s easy to fight for a cause when you have religion on your side. But I really didn’t go down the religious path. Martin wasn’t religious.

There was this great war between Protestants and Catholics, with many people in the middle, in the gray zone. The film focuses on that gray area.

HC: What kind of understanding did you come to know regarding the IRA, the unionists and the wounds of Irish history?

JS: Mostly that it goes back a long, long way. The IRA in the 1980s was a different military organization than it was in the 1970s. What was cool is that Kari [Skogland], the director, spent a lot of time in Belfast before any of us got there. She got among the people there and gained a lot of trust.

We actually had ex-IRA men on set and representatives from Britain’s Special Branch, who set up against them. Amazing that all these people got together to help us tell the story.

Of course I don’t condone the way that the IRA went around and did what they did. But when you speak to someone one-to-one you hear a viewpoint. And whether you believe in it or not it’s a viewpoint. When you see them with their kids and their families, it becomes a bit confusing that these people were able to bring about so much violence.

HC: What fascinated director Kari Skogland most about Martin McGartland? What characteristics did she insist upon from you regarding Martin both from her screenplay and in her direction?

JS: She didn’t insist on anything, she was willing to trust the actors, and she let me and Ben [Kingsley] do our thing.

A lot of it was already there in her writing, from the minute I read the script I got so much off the page. Which came from her ability to write a good story and to write good characters.

Ben Kingsley and Jim Sturgess in ‘Fifty Dead Men Walking’
Photo credit: Phase 4 Films

HC: You and Ben Kingsley developed a peculiar yet endearing relationship in Fifty Dead Men Walking. What kind of buzz did Ben give you as an actor when doing your scenes together?

JS: Just his infectious enthusiasm for acting. It’s insane – that guy has done so many films – and you’d think it was the first acting job he’s ever had. Here’s guy whose worked with Spielberg and Scorsese, and he turned up on our set just hungry to tell the story and to play his character.

And he put me on a level playing field from day one, which I was so grateful for. Obviously I was a little intimidated and nervous to act with someone like him. Within minutes he made it clear that it was going to be one-to-one, he was asking me questions about the scenes. Just the greatest person that I could possibly work with.

HC: When playing Martin, you had to pretend to be severely attacked. What is your personal views on violence in films and how comfortable are you handling the weapons you used in Fifty Dead Men Walking?

JS: Some of those attacks weren’t so ‘pretend’ (laughs). Kari came about the violence in this film from an interesting viewpoint. There was nothing glamorous about the violence depicted, no action fight scenes. She shot a lot of the violent scenes from a distance, so you don’t quite see everything. Your imagination makes it far more disturbing that way.

As for the gun, it was weird. I’ve never held or shot a gun. Even though I didn’t use the weapon in the film, it’s amazing when someone puts something like that in your hand. The weight of it was interesting.

HC: You’ve now most famously played a child of the 1960s in ‘Across the Universe’ and a political activist in the 1980s in this film. What about your actor’s journey do you think has put you on the path to play roles outside your era? And which of the eras did you find yourself most powerfully attached to?

JS: I don’t know if the era has anything to do with it, a character is a character. The time is just where they exist. It’s not like ‘Jim is good at playing 1960s.’ I’ve just been fortunate to play across that spectrum – ‘60s with Across the Universe, ‘80s with this film and even the Tudor era in the “Other Boelyn Girl.”

“Heartless,” coming up later this year, is really about the world I live in, modern day East London, so I have played a universe and an era which is my doorstep. Maybe next is the future, with a spaceship or something (laughs).

Jim Sturgess and Patrick McDonald in Chicago, August 20, 2009.
Photo credit: Patrick McDonald for HollywoodChicago.com

HC: You sang your own songs in ‘Across the Universe.’ As a singer and admirer of different eras of music, how did getting so close to The Beatles and their songs alter your musical landscape and which Beatles album still resonates with you?

JS: I was a huge fan of The Beatles and ‘60s music and culture, so to be in that film was a playground for me.

At first when I heard it was a Beatles musical, I thought, what a horrible idea (laughs). But when I read the script and saw it was about the times of the 1960s, when art met politics, it clicked for me.

I did most of the singing live on the set. It was more bizarre than you could possibly imagine. You had these “earwigs” that you put on your ear, which would play the music so only I could hear it. 400 extras, a whole crew, hears absolutely nothing and I just belt out the singing by myself, in full grandeur, with no musical accompaniment from the rest of the room. I had to get over that self consciousness pretty damn quick (laughs).

HC: You’ve done an American accent for ‘21’ and now an Irish accent for this film. Which one is easier to get away with and why?

JS: Neither (laughs). When you’re doing an American film, it for an industry owned by Americans. There are a lot of people that are going to be watching you from America. And I only had two weeks to work it out. It was a pressure I didn’t enjoy.

For 50 Dead Men Walking, I had more time. And the Northern Irish accent is pretty bizarre, you have to get your mouth around it. I pretty much decided from the day I landed on Irish soil until Ieft I would talk in a Belfast Irish accent. So it became my voice when we began to film.

HC: I noticed on-line that you’re very excited about your uncoming participation in the antimated ‘Guardians of Ga’Hoole.’ Can you give us some buzz on the project and what makes it unique?

JS: Yeah, it’s just phenomenal about this animation. And I’ve just seen it in about 80% form for voice work, there is another 20% to go visually.

It’s an animation project directed by Zach Snyder (”300,” “Watchmen”) who is incredibly visual. For him to work solely on visual, it is an amazing palette for him to play with.

It’s a children’s story that is really powerful and pretty deep. In the vein of “Watership Down.” It has a real sadness and a real weight to it.

I play an Australian Owl.. And it was twelve people watching me in a booth behind glass flapping away (laughs).

HC: Finally, what do you think Americans will never understand about the British and what still perplexes you about life here in these United States?

JS: You had to end with that one. I have no idea (laughs).

’Fifty Dead Men Walking’ releases August 21, 2009, and features Jim Sturgess, Ben Kingsley and Rose McGowan, directed by Kari Skogland.

By PATRICK McDONALD
Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com
pat@hollywoodchicago.com

DVD Review: Director’s Cut of ‘Watchmen’ Gives Fans Half a Release

BrianTT — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 14:42:41 -0600

CHICAGO – Despite the serious problems I had with Zack Snyder’s “Watchmen,” it was a Blu-Ray and DVD title that I was highly anticipating. With the film’s detailed production level, lengthy running time, and broad scope, it would seem to be tailor-made for a loyal home audience. Whether you like the film or not, that audience is getting screwed.

DVD Rating: 2.0/5.0

Let’s leave aside for now any possible disagreement over the actual movie. We’ll get to that later. The DVD is undeniably, irrefutably, a place-holder. There is no way this is the final word on DVD and Blu-Ray on “Watchmen,” a film that has not only seen its share of controversy but also had secondary home releases to date, including “The Complete Motion Comic” and “Tales of the Black Freighter”.

Watchmen: Director’s Cut was released on DVD on July 21st, 2009.
Photo credit: Warner Bros.

Why don’t we look into the DVD/Blu-Ray crystal ball? I can guarantee that there will be a future release of “Watchmen” that delivers a far-more-complete package, including at least “Freighter” and maybe even the “CMC” in one set and with literally hours of special features about the making of the film, artwork, promotional material, interviews, etc. Heck, there will at LEAST be a version that includes the theatrical and director’s cut on one DVD. Is that too much to ask the first time around?

Watchmen: Director’s Cut was released on DVD on July 21st, 2009.
Photo credit: Warner Bros.

It also feels like this is probably not the last “Director’s Cut”. This version includes 24 extra minutes which we’ll get to, but is not the long-rumored 205-minute version of the film that will reportedly splice “Freighter” material back into the film. Anyone want to bet that hits stores in 2010?

Now that I’m done ranting about the blatant double-dip I feel is inevitable, let’s move on to the film itself.

I love the book. I wanted to love the movie, but it is a deeply flawed film that misses a lot of what makes the book work. Snyder undeniably recreated a majority of the imagery from his source material, but he compiled them in a way that made for a brutally disjointed experience. Like a karaoke singer, “Watchmen” gets a lot of the words right but misses the meaning.

“Watchmen” is about the very definitions of the words hero and villain. When our good guys are working on weapons that could end the world and our bad ones are taking out the scum of the Earth vigilante-style, who is the real superhero? What can a masked man possibly accomplish?

The biggest problem with “Watchmen” is an overabundance of ideas. “Watchmen” could have been a 12-hour HBO mini-series. It simply doesn’t work as a 3-hour film. None of the action is given any time to sink in. “Watchmen” is an experience to be savored, to be read in installments, not to be pounded into a viewer’s head. It’s like watching an entire season of highlights from “Lost” in 160 minutes. It’s not given a chance to breathe, as each revelation, each origin story, and each character arc is hurried through to get to the next.

Watchmen: Director’s Cut was released on DVD on July 21st, 2009.
Photo credit: Warner Bros.

On a positive level, I do admire the ambition of Snyder’s work, Jackie Earle Haley steals the movie as Rorschach, and Billy Crudup gives a genuinely sad performance. Watching the film again, I didn’t react as negatively as I did the first time, although I still think all of my criticisms of it hold true and any theory that this is a film that will be rewarded and revered by the passage of time is just wrong.

So, what’s new in this version? Most of the new footage involves minor changes - a line of dialogue here and there, a new character beat every once in awhile. None of it is major and none of it rescues the film from its flaws. I do think this version is a bit more fleshed-out, but it certainly doesn’t solve Snyder’s pacing problems or radically change anyone’s opinions of the film. This is not “Blade Runner”-level differences. So, don’t expect your opinion to change by more than half a star at best.

Watchmen: Director’s Cut was released on DVD on July 21st, 2009.
Photo credit: Warner Bros.

Special Features:

“The Phenomenon: The Comic That Changed Comics” (28:46)

You would think that this feature would be driven by the graphic novel, but when it starts with a sound bite from Malin Akerman, you soon realize that it’s driven by the film and the actor’s experiences with one of the best books ever written. Ever wonder what Carla Gugino thinks of “Watchmen”? Wonder no more. Luckily, there are enough journalist and industry insights to keep the featurette from becoming too much of a commercial for the film. It’s essentially a love letter to the book by Alan Moore (whose name is, almost hysterically, barely even mentioned in the featurette, clearly because of his disassociation with the film) and Dave Gibbons. Even though it’s odd to hear from the lead singer of My Chemical Romance about “Watchmen” but allow almost no recognition of the actual AUTHOR, there is enough interesting material here to warrant a look.

“Watchmen: Video Journals” - “The Minutemen” (3:36), “Sets and Sensibility” (3:57), “Dressed For Success” (3:06), “The Ship Has Eyes” (4:23), “Dave Gibbons” (3:25), “Burn Baby Burn” (2:15), “Shoot to Thrill” (3:17), “Blue Monday” (3:02), “Attention to Detail” (2:56), “Girls Kick Ass” (3:06), and “Rorschach’s Mask” (3:46)

Watchmen: Director’s Cut was released on DVD on July 21st, 2009.
Photo credit: Warner Bros.

These are a series of EPK-style quickies at behind-the-scenes material and certain characters mostly fueled by cast & crew interviews. Why not organize these into one documentary about the making of the film? I find mini-featurettes annoying, especially without a “Play All” feature, although there is some interesting material spread throughout the 11 journals.

“My Chemical Romance - “Desolation Row” Music Video” (3:15)

A decent video for a pretty good song.

All in all, without BD-Live functionality (and we tried to get a Blu-Ray copy for review but were denied one by Warner Brothers), the special features on a film that will surely have a loyal following run just over an hour. Anyone really think this is the final word on “Watchmen”?

‘Watchmen’ is released by Warner Bros. Home Video and stars Malin Akerman, Carla Gugino, Billy Crudup, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Matthew Goode, and Patrick Wilson. It was written by David Hayter & Alex Tse and directed by Zack Snyder. It was released on July 21st, 2009. It is rated R.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Blu-Ray Review: ‘Tales of the Black Freighter’ a Great Companion to ‘Watchmen’

BrianTT — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 17:58:39 -0600

Blu-Ray Rating: 3.5/5.0

CHICAGO – Alan Moore and Dave Gibbon’s influential graphic novel “Watchmen” may have not made the impact that we all expected it to in theaters, but it is a film and book that still has legions of fans. Fan of the book or the movie or both should take a look at the interesting “Tales of the Black Freighter,” a companion piece that fills in the world of “Watchmen” and is now available on Blu-Ray.

“Tales of the Black Freighter” is the name of a comic book within the world of the “Watchmen” that a young boy is reading throughout the graphic novel. Understandably, the “Freighter” had to be cut from the already over-long film, but director Zack Snyder and one of his writers on the film, Alex Tse, adapted it and turned it into a 26-minute animated film featuring voice work by Gerard Butler (“300”) and Jared Harris (“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”).

Tales of the Black Freighter was released on Blu-Ray on March 24th, 2009.
Photo credit: Warner Brothers

“Black Freighter” is a highly stylized tale of a pirate trying to get home and save his family before the black freighter beats him to it. With lines like “His head burst as if pressurized by the guilt within,” “Black Freighter” is an old-fashioned pirate tale with an Alan Moore twist.

Tales of the Black Freighter was released on Blu-Ray on March 24th, 2009.
Photo credit: Warner Brothers

“Freighter” served several functions in the graphic novel - breaking up the superhero action of the piece, illustrating the depth of this world in that comics still exist in a world with real caped crusaders, and thematic parallels to the action of the story, particularly the arc of Adrian Veidt/Ozymandias. As a stand-alone story, it’s interesting but not riveting storytelling. It’s truly a companion piece to “Watchmen”.

Directed by Daniel Delpurgatorio and Mike Smith, “Tales From the Black Freighter” undeniably looks amazing. The artwork is loyal to the book but is not merely a motion comics. It’s a beautiful film, especially in HD. What really elevates this “Freighter” is the fantastic voice work by Butler. He should do more.

Another break in the action in the original was Hollis Mason’s “Under the Hood,” a fictional non-fiction book about what it was like to be a superhero back when men started wearing masks. Director Eric Matthies has made a live-action/CGI version about that book with interviews with Mason (Stephen McHattie) and Silk Spectre (Carla Gugino). It’s a little cheesy and doesn’t stand on its own. “Hood” is nearly 50% longer than “Freighter” but the latter is still the draw on this release.

I hope that one day “Black Freighter” and “Under the Hood” are at least available as branching options on the film itself. They could be reinserted as act breaks, like they sort of were in the book, and add depth to a film that was lacking it.

“Tales of the Black Freighter” and “Under the Hood” may not stand on their own but they’re must-sees for fans of the book or movie. As the back of the Blu-Ray case says, “Two fan-essential stories. One place to watch the excitement.”

Special features on the Blu-Ray release include “Story Within a Story: The Books of Watchmen,” “Watchmen Motion Comic Episode 1,” and a first look at DC Universe’s animated “Green Lantern”.

‘Tales of the Black Freighter’ is released by Warner Brothers Home Video and features voice work by Gerard Butler and Jared Harris. It was written by Alex Tse & Zack Snyder and directed by Daniel Delpurgatorio and Mike Smith. It was released on March 24th, 2009. It is rated R.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Zack Snyder Turns ‘Watchmen’ Into Loud, Disjointed, Brutal Mess

BrianTT — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 11:29:00 -0700

Rating: 2.0/5.0

CHICAGO – For years, fans of Alan Moore and Dave Gibbon’s masterful and influential “Watchmen” have been waiting for a filmmaker willing to faithfully and slavishly adapt their favorite graphic novel. Well, we got what we wanted in Zack Snyder’s frame-copying vision of this legendary book, but as someone once said - You should be careful what you ask for because you just might get it.

Snyder’s take on “Watchmen” is like a karaoke singer who hits most of the notes but doesn’t understand the lyrics to the song. The filmmaker has recreated a majority of the panels from his source material, but he’s compiled them in such a way that makes for a brutal, disjointed, misguided experience.

Read Brian Tallerico’s full review of “Watchmen” in our reviews section.

There are enough good ideas in the original that people unfamiliar with it and still refusing to read it may have something to talk about after seeing “Watchmen” but those elements that work are in spite of the people who made this film, not because of them. Except for a few strong performances (balanced out by a few awful ones) and the strength of the ideas at the core of “Watchmen,” the film is a complete disaster, one of the biggest disappointments of the last several years.

The opening credits to “Watchmen” arguably make up the most effective sequence in the film. Set to “The Times They Are A-Changin’,” Snyder introduces us to his alternate universe, one in which masked crusaders have come and gone and Richard Nixon is still President in 1985. The world is on the edge of nuclear armageddon as the U.S. and U.S.S.R. have their nuclear weapons pointed at each other, held back from launching them by the existence of a God-like figure named Dr. Manhattan (Billy Crudup).

Continuing reading for Brian Tallerico’s full “Watchmen” review.

‘Watchmen’ stars Malin Akerman, Carla Gugino, Billy Crudup, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Matthew Goode, and Patrick Wilson. ‘Watchmen,’ which was written by David Hayter & Alex Tse and directed by Zack Snyder, opens on March 6th, 2009. It is rated R.

Patrick Wilson as Nite Owl II, Malin Akerman as Silk Spectre II and Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach.
Photo credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

Blu-Ray Review: ‘Watchmen: The Complete Motion Comic’ New Way to Read a Great Book

BrianTT — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 08:55:54 -0700

Blu-Ray Rating: 3.5/5.0

CHICAGO – Reviewing “Watchmen: The Complete Motion Comic” is extremely difficult. The source material is absolutely fantastic, one of the best graphic novels in the history of the form and one of the most influential books of any kind from the last few decades. And the “Motion Comic” is incredibly loyal. But it’s hard not to say “just read the book”.

Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons’ “Watchmen” is an absolute masterpiece. Read it as soon as you possibly can and definitely before you see the Zack Snyder movie opening on March 6th. As great as that film will hopefully be, it can never have the cultural impact that the graphic novel did.

Of course, most of the millions who will go and see “Watchmen” won’t have read the book. It’s just a fact of life that even the most critically acclaimed novels can’t compete with flashing pictures in a darkened theater. So, Warner Brothers has produced a hybrid Blu-Ray release that allows you to “watch” the graphic novel that changed the form forever.

Watchmen: The Complete Motion Comic was released on Blu-Ray on March 3rd, 2009.
Photo credit: Warner Brothers

The most celebrated graphic novel of all time that broke the conventional mold breaks new ground again in a five-and-a-half hour digital version of the original that adds limited motion, voice and sound to the book’s strikingly drawn panels. The narration and dialogue is all from the book, but not every line from the printed version is included. Watching it and following along with the original makes it look like maybe one out of three lines - mostly just mood-setting narration and character asides - is missing.

Some of the detail may be missing but all 12 chapters of the story are here in this unusual “HD Cliffs Notes” version of “Watchmen”. All of it is read by one narrator, Tom Stechschulte, who does different voices for the characters. It’s a little unusual. Kind of like your uncle reading you one of your favorite books. Why not just read it out loud to yourself?

The biggest problem with “Watchmen” is that Stechschulte isn’t that good. He’s rushed and unemotional. It sometimes feels like the project is one of obligation more than passion. “We respect the source material and we want you to know about it, so we kind of have to do this project.”

But it all comes back to that initial question - how do you review something so loyal to one of the best books of the last few decades? The actual story, the meat of “Watchmen: The Complete Motion Comic” is just as riveting as it is on the page. And there are a lot of people out there who will never pick up the actual graphic novel. If this is the only way for them to get the unedited version of the story, then who am I to judge?

As with most animated Blu-Rays, the video on “Watchmen: The Complete Motion Comic” is beautiful. Seeing Dave Gibbons illustrations in 1080p High Definition 16x9 1.85:1 is something an old “Watchmen” fan never thought he would see. Lennie Moore’s lovely score sounds good in Dolby TrueHD English 5.1 as well.

The special features for “The Complete Motion Comic” are seriously disappointing. Why not include a featurette on the influence of the book? Why not a fan’s perspective? Even a behind-the-scenes look at the making of this project? Instead, all we get is “Watchmen Production Diaries #4: Dave Gibbons” and a sneak peek at “Wonder Woman”.

The former is just a 147-second featurette that basically serves as a preview for the movie - “Like this? The movie is really loyal to it.” The latter is a ten-minute b-t-s look at another product for you to buy. Basically just a long commerical.

Will “Watchmen: The Complete Motion Comic” start a trend? Graphic novels given motion, voice, and sound on Blu-Ray? Maybe one of the most influential pieces of fiction has found a new way to influence a new medium yet again.

‘Watchmen: The Complete Motion Comic’ is released by Warner Brothers Home Video. It was directed by Jake S. Hughes. It was released on March 3rd, 2009. It is not rated.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

‘Watchmen’ at Chicago’s Navy Pier IMAX Adds Morning Screening on March 6, 2009

HollywoodChicago.com — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 00:22:30 -0700

CHICAGO – If you’re like many others who crave braving the opening-day crowds to see the highly anticipated new “Watchmen” film, HollywoodChicago.com has learned that Chicago’s Navy Pier IMAX theatre has just added one additional screening at 7 a.m. on Friday, March 6, 2009. Chicago moviegoers could even catch the flick and make it to work by 10 a.m.

“Watchmen,” which is a movie adaptation of one of the most celebrated graphic novels of our time, stars Malin Akerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Patrick Wilson, Carla Gugino, Matt Frewer, Laura Mennell, Stephen McHattie, Rob LaBelle, Gary Houston, James M. Connor and Mary Ann Burger from “300” director Zack Snyder.

Opening weekend will begin with a sold-out screening at midnight on Friday, March 6, 2009 (i.e. late Thursday night on March 5, 2009). IMAX tickets for opening weekend – including the newly added 7 a.m. screening – are now on sale. Tickets are $15 for adults, $14 for seniors and $13 for children. They are available at the Navy Pier IMAX theatre box office at 700 E. Grand Ave. or online here.

The “Watchmen” ensemble.
Image credit: Warner Bros.

“The film and story are so detailed,” said “Watchmen” director Zack Snyder in a Tuesday statement. “The minutiae of its setting and characters are integral to the film. Seeing the film presented in IMAX will allow audiences to be fully immersed in the world of ‘Watchmen’.”

Here is the “Watchmen” plot description (source):

In a gritty and alternate 1985, the glory days of costumed vigilantes have been brought to a close by a government crackdown. After one of the masked veterans is brutally murdered, though, an investigation into the killer is initiated.

The reunited heroes set out to prevent their own destruction, but in doing so, they discover a deeper and much more diabolical plot.

Before “Watchmen” opens, Chicagoans have one last chance to see “The Dark Knight” in IMAX. Featuring the Oscar-winning performance by the late Heath Ledger, “The Dark Knight” was originally released in July 2008. “The Dark Knight” will be screened for the final time in Chicago on Thursday, March 5, 2009. Tickets are now available now for the final days of “The Dark Knight”.

See our 26-image “Watchmen” slideshow of world-premiere arrivals.
See our 26-image “Watchmen” slideshow (part one).
See our 26-image “Watchmen” slideshow (part two).
Read more “Watchmen” coverage on HollywoodChicago.com.

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com

Slideshow: 26-Image Gallery For Red-Carpet Arrivals at the World Premiere of ‘Watchmen’

BrianTT — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 18:38:50 -0700

CHICAGO – This 26-image slideshow contains a selection of the red carpet arrivals for the world premiere of “Watchmen” at the Odeon, Leicester Square on February 23rd, 2009. Check out images of Carla Gugino, Malin Akerman, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Billy Crudup, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and more of the cast and crew of Zack Snyder’s “Watchmen,” opening March 6th, 2009.

You can click “Next” and “Previous” to scan through this slideshow or jump directly to individual photos with the captioned links below. All photos are credited to Jo Hale and courtesy of Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

jh_watchmen_01: Malin Akerman and Carla Gugino
jh_watchmen_02: Malin Akerman
jh_watchmen_03: Malin Akerman
jh_watchmen_04: Malin Akerman
jh_watchmen_05: Malin Akerman
jh_watchmen_06: Carla Gugino
jh_watchmen_07: Carla Gugino
jh_watchmen_08: The cast
jh_watchmen_09: Jackie Earle Haley
jh_watchmen_10: Malin Akerman
jh_watchmen_11: Matthew Goode
jh_watchmen_12: Matthew Goode
jh_watchmen_13: Matthew Goode
jh_watchmen_14: Jeffrey Dean Morgan
jh_watchmen_15: Jackie Earle Haley
jh_watchmen_16: Jeffrey Dean Morgan
jh_watchmen_17: Malin Akerman and Carla Gugino
jh_watchmen_18: Carla Gugino
jh_watchmen_19: Carla Gugino
jh_watchmen_20: Matthew Goode
jh_watchmen_21: Jackie Earle Haley
jh_watchmen_22: Matthew Goode
jh_watchmen_23: Atmosphere
jh_watchmen_24: Atmosphere
jh_watchmen_25: Atmosphere
jh_watchmen_26: Atmosphere

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Slideshow: 26-Image Gallery For ‘Watchmen’ With Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Billy Crudup

BrianTT — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 08:10:08 -0700

CHICAGO – This 26-image slideshow contains the second half of the official press images (check out this link for the first half) from the Warner Brothers production of “Watchmen,” based on the graphic novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, starring Malin Akerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Carla Gugino, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and Patrick Wilson. Written by David Hayter and Alex Tse and directed by Zack Snyder, the film opens on Friday, March 6th, 2009.

Synopsis: “A complex, multi-layered mystery adventure, “Watchmen” is set in an alternate 1985 America in which costumed superheroes are part of the fabric of everyday society, and the Doomsday Clock—which charts the USA’s tension with the Soviet Union—moves closer to midnight.

When one of his former colleagues is murdered, the outlawed but no less determined masked vigilante Rorschach sets out to uncover a plot to kill and discredit all past and present superheroes. As he reconnects with his former crime-fighting legion—a disbanded group of retired superheroes, only one of whom has true powers—Rorschach glimpses a wide-ranging and disturbing conspiracy with links to their shared past and catastrophic consequences for the future.

Their mission is to watch over humanity…but who is watching the Watchmen?”

You can click “Next” and “Previous” to scan through this slideshow or jump directly to individual photos with the captioned links below. All photos are credited on their captions when needed and courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Watchmen_27: Malin Akerman as Silk Spectre II.
Watchmen_28: Matthew Goode as Ozymandias.
Watchmen_29: Patrick Wilson as Nite Owl II, Malin Akerman as Silk Spectre II and Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach.
Watchmen_30: Billy Crudup as Dr. Manhattan.
Watchmen_31: Jeffrey Dean Morgan as The Comedian.
Watchmen_32: Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach.
Watchmen_33: Malin Akerman as Silk Spectre II.
Watchmen_34: Patrick Wilson as Nite Owl II.
Watchmen_35: Matthew Goode as Ozymandias.
Watchmen_36: Billy Crudup as Dr. Manhattan
Watchmen_37: Carla Gugino as Silk Spectre.
Watchmen_38: Matthew Goode (center) as Adrian Veidt is flanked by Walter Addison, (left) as Lee Iacocca and Sonya Salomaa (right) as his assistant.
Watchmen_39: Director Zack Snyder on the set.
Watchmen_40: Jackie Earle Haley as Walter Kovacs.
Watchmen_41: Matthew Goode as Adrian Veidt.
Watchmen_42: Nite Owl II (Patrick Wilson) fights off a rioting prisoner as Silk Spectre II (Malin Akerman) lends a hand.
Watchmen_43: Matthew Goode as Ozymandias and Jeffrey Dean Morgan as The Comedian.
Watchmen_44: Dave Gibbons, the co-creator of the graphic novel Watchmen which is now an action adventure film.
Watchmen_45: Jeffrey Dean Morgan as The Comedian and Carla Gugino as Silk Spectre.
Watchmen_46: Director Zack Snyder directs Robert Wisden as President Nixon.
Watchmen_47: Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach.
Watchmen_48: Jeffrey Dean Morgan as The Comedian.
Watchmen_49: Malin Akerman as Silk Spectre II.
Watchmen_50: Left: A frame from the graphic novel Watchmen of Rorschach as drawn by Watchmen co-creator Dave Gibbons. Right: Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach.
Watchmen_51: Left: A frame from the graphic novel Watchmen of Dan Dreiberg as drawn by Watchmen co-creator Dave Gibbons.
Right: Patrick Wilson as Dan Dreiberg.
Watchmen_52: Left: A frame from the graphic novel Watchmen of Karnak in the Antarctic as drawn by Watchmen co-creator Dave Gibbons. Right: Karnak in the Antarctic.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Slideshow: 26-Image Gallery For ‘Watchmen’ With Malin Akerman, Patrick Wilson

BrianTT — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 10:36:12 -0700

CHICAGO – This 26-image slideshow contains half of the official press images (the second half can be found here) from the Warner Brothers production of “Watchmen,” based on the graphic novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, starring Malin Akerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Carla Gugino, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and Patrick Wilson. Written by David Hayter and Alex Tse and directed by Zack Snyder, the film opens on Friday, March 6th, 2009.

Their mission is to watch over humanity…but who is watching the Watchmen?”

Watchmen_01: Jeffrey Dean Morgan as The Comedian.
Watchmen_02: Archimedes rises into the dark sky.
Watchmen_03: Jeffrey Dean Morgan as The Comedian. Photo by Clay Enos.
Watchmen_04: Malin Akerman as Silk Spectre II and Patrick Wilson as Nite Owl II.
Watchmen_05: Malin Akerman as Silk Spectre II and Billy Crudup as Dr. Manhattan.
Watchmen_06: L-r: The Minutemen, the original group of costumed heroes, are pictured in 1940: Apollonia Vanova as Silhouette, Niall Mater as Mothman, Dan Payne as Dollar Bill, Clint Carleton as the original Nite Owl, Daryl Scheeler as Captain Metropolis, Carla Gugino as the original Silk Spectre, Glenn Ennis as Hooded Justice and Jeffrey Dean Morgan (kneeling) as The Comedian. Photo by Clay Enos.
Watchmen_07: Patrick Wilson as Nite Owl II. Photo by Clay Enos.
Watchmen_08: Matthew Goode as Ozymandias. Photo by Clay Enos.
Watchmen_09: Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach. Photo by Clay Enos.
Watchmen_10: Malin Akerman as Silk Spectre II. Photo by Clay Enos.
Watchmen_11: Jon Osterman (Billy Crudup) is transformed into Dr. Manhattan.
Watchmen_12: Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach.
Watchmen_13: Laura Mennell as Janey Slater and Billy Crudup as Jon Osterman.
Watchmen_14: Billy Crudup as Dr. Manhattan at a press conference.
Watchmen_15: Patrick Wilson as Dan Dreiberg.
Watchmen_16: Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach.
Watchmen_17: Dr. Manhattan (Billy Crudup) reflected in the helmet of an astronaut suit.
Watchmen_18: L-r: Jeffrey Dean Morgan as The Comedian, Malin Akerman as Silk Spectre II, Billy Crudup as Dr, Manhattan, Matthew Goode as Ozymandias, Patrick Wilson as Nite Owl II and Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach.
Watchmen_19: Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach.
Watchmen_20: Matt Frewer as Hollis Mason, the original Nite Owl, and Patrick Wilson as his successor, Dan Dreiberg aka Nite Owl II.
Watchmen_21: Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach and Patrick Wilson as Dan Dreiberg.
Watchmen_22: Malin Akerman as Laurie Jupiter (left, in background), Billy Crudup as Dr. Manhattan and Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach (right, in background).
Watchmen_23: Billy Crudup as Dr. Manhattan.
Watchmen_24: The Comedian (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) leaps from the Owl Ship.
Watchmen_25: Billy Crudup as Dr. Manhattan.
Watchmen_26: Malin Akerman as Laurie Jupiter and Patrick Wilson as Dan Dreiberg.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

‘Watchmen: The Complete Motion Comic’ Coming to Blu-Ray in March 2009

BrianTT — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 20:48:39 -0700

CHICAGO – Warner Brothers made an announcement today and released the cover art for an exciting new tie-in with the upcoming March 6th release of the highly anticipated “Watchmen”. The studio will release “Watchmen: The Complete Motion Comic” on Blu-Ray on March 3rd, 2009.

To tie in with the release of the Zack Snyder adaptation of the Alan Moore masterpiece, one of the best graphic novels ever made, Warner Brothers will make it easy to see where it all began in Blu-Ray form. The adaptation stars Matthew Goode, Malin Akerman, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Patrick Wilson, Carla Gugino, Billy Crudup, and Jackie Earle Haley.

Watchmen: The Complete Motion Comic
Photo credit: Warner Brothers

See the original “Watchmen” with the digital version of the most celebrated graphic novel of all time. The illustrator of “Watchmen,” Dave Gibbons, oversaw the entire process, one that adds limited motion, voice, and sound to the original panels. All twelve chapters of the story are included in almost five hours of material.

“Watchmen: The Complete Motion Comic” will be available for an MSRP of $35.99 on March 3, 2009.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com