Nite Owl! Ozymandias! Silk Spectre! 'Watchmen' Character Stills Released!
Filed under: Action, Warner Brothers, Fandom, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Images

And let the games begin. Zack Snyder has released high resolution stills of several Watchmen characters to celebrate the "one year from now" release of the film.
I really love the look of the Comedian. Actually, I'm digging all of them with the exception of Ozymandias, who is a little too Goth for my taste. But I think all these strike the fine balance between being functional (I always wondered how Nite Owl actually moved in that suit), being updated for the screen, and being accurate to the comic. Hate me all you like.
A friend I've sent these to via AIM thinks they don't "look Dave Gibbonish enough. The poses are all Batman." I agree about the poses (especially Laurie's), but I rather think Snyder was giving them free rein and letting them have a bit of fun. The high level of Photoshop suggests that too.
Sound off below. Let loose with your shrieks of delight, groans of mediocrity, or howls of despair. I'll be anxiously awaiting what you fill my inbox with.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
3-06-2008 @ 6:21AM
MCW said...
Unfortunately, I've never read any of "Watchmen", so I can't say if these characters look like they should. I agree though, the Comedian is really cool looking... those bullets probably sting a little. I don't like the Night Owl dude, he looks like a Batman rip-off to me. Still, could be a good movie.
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3-06-2008 @ 7:16AM
Dracula al said...
You've made my day
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3-06-2008 @ 7:22AM
RP said...
I can see why Dave Gibbons has been so upbeat about the project now, the art direction is certainly on the right track.
Still, I've no doubt the film will suck balls.
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3-06-2008 @ 7:28AM
NvM said...
the Nite Owl looks too dark and Batman(Begins)-esque.
Ozymandias is also just way off target.
Rorschach is right on spot along with the Comedian.
But the big one here is Doc Manhattan, let's see how he looks.
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3-06-2008 @ 7:54AM
The Addict said...
Actually - if I was to make one real complaint about these, it's that the Comedian's button looks a little small.
3-06-2008 @ 10:56AM
Akbar Fazil said...
Well, since the original book was supposed to be lampooning then current day super heroes and their look, it is no surprise that they went this route with Night Owl.
Even with that said, I think they made his outfit a little TOO obvious.
3-06-2008 @ 8:24AM
KateGee said...
I completely agree with NvM. And Laurie looks better than i thought she would. I'm still not convinced about Malin Akerman being any good, however.
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3-06-2008 @ 9:11AM
DAVID F said...
Looks finw to me. Still, it's all about the script and how they pruned the source. I agree....Dr. Manhatten will make or break this film.
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3-06-2008 @ 11:51AM
Richard von Busack said...
I'm real happy with this. Watching Haley in Semi-Pro, he just looked like such perfect casting for Rorshach--undersized and half-sane, and all any critic has done when Billy Crudup shows up on screen is complain about how remote he is--so he just has to be right, too, as Dr. Manhattan. I keep having to remind myself it's Zack Snyder to keep my enthusiasm curbed.
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3-06-2008 @ 2:26PM
RP said...
Quite. All i could think when watching 300 was "THIS GUY is doing Watchmen?!"
3-06-2008 @ 3:26PM
Eli Burnside said...
I've never read the book but I've seen pics and I think they all look great, Except Ozymandias, he looks nothing like The graphic novel and the look on the actors face is very creepy. The Comedians looks very cool, every one else is pretty cool too. The Nite Owl looks cool but too batman returnsish.
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3-06-2008 @ 3:53PM
scottR said...
I think they all look great. Updated to look 'modern', but still clearly based on the books.
@Eli Burnside: Ozymandias looks the most different because his look in the book was, weird at best. He still certainly is still based on the novel: purple colours, 'rounded' neck protector...thing, the eye symbol (now on the belt), cape, straight lines.
I'd hate to be an adapter of a well-loved source material. Example: Watchmen is loved because it looks at the nature of super-heroes and uses 'generalized' versions of other superheroes to do so. Fans predict Watchmen will suck because it will not follow source material. Stills of Watchmen released which show great care in being true to source material. Fans complain that stills copy other super-heroes too closely, despite the fact that the source copied other super-heroes to the same degree. (original Nite Owl looks like the original batman just as much as this one looks like Nolan's batman). An endless, unsatisfiable loop of fandom at its finest.
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3-06-2008 @ 10:16PM
mezzanine said...
Wasn't there a guy who just glowed blue? His wang was exposed? What was his name?
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3-06-2008 @ 11:30PM
Milhuisen said...
These have restored some faith for me. I dunno about NiteOwl from the shoulders up. But I rekon they all look pretty nice overall.
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3-10-2008 @ 8:50AM
Helder said...
actually, nite-owl in the comics is based on blue beetle, not batman.
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3-08-2008 @ 3:42PM
Jared said...
I like them all. But, I'm not all too crazy about Comedian with the cheap wig. And while i do like the Nite Owl costume, i was a huge fan of the original one and am a little disappointed that it's not as loyal. My favorites are Laurie and Rorschach. Even the setting that Rorschach is in fits perfectly. And check out Nite Owls ride! sweet.
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3-11-2008 @ 12:22AM
Thomas said...
Zack Snyder is the modern Day Ed Wood
Watchman is an unfilmable graphic novel
I want Hollywood to sink into the ocean today, with all the prints destroyed with it.. maybe there will be some hope only then....
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4-02-2008 @ 2:59AM
Tom Gerlick said...
Naw. Uwe Boll is this generation's Ed Wood. Zach Snyder is more of a Micheal Bay.
3-11-2008 @ 2:40AM
Paul said...
I don't really follow comics but when I saw the image of Nite Owl I did a double-take... I thought it was something from the upcoming Batman movie... You can't say the similarities aren't striking!
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3-13-2008 @ 6:14AM
Thomas said...
Paul;
Basicly, that is the point of the Night owl. A charactacture of the Dark Knight. You should read the graphic Novel as the movie is going to just confuse and sadden you
The Watchmen movie is going to suck worst than Episode I and Battlefield earth!