Here is the OTHER post I lost due to the server time warp… Check out the high res versions at CBR

via CBR

Who watches the Watchmen? Noone, if 20th Century Fox has anything to say about it. They want a piece of the pie or they may shut down the planned March 6th release of the epic comic book movie based on the most popular graphic novel in comic book history. Fox alleges alleges that they retained distribution rights to the graphic novel through a 1991 claim. The judge has refused a motion to dismiss and a trial date has been set for January 6th.

A federal court in Los Angeles on Monday refused to dismiss the Fox lawsuit — meaning Fox can proceed with an attempt to shut down Snyder’s movie in court. The ruling offered no comment on the quality of Fox’s case or its potential for success, but clearly the judge found enough merit in the rights claim to let Fox’s lawyers take it up a notch.

Most of the buzz suggests that Fox will most likely keep up the pressure until a settlement is made that allows Warner Brothers to distribute The Watchmen and rewards Fox with some of the profits.

via Wired and CBR

Everything old is new again. Warner Brothers has released seven movie posters for The Watchmen. These are directly based upon a series of full page ads that DC Comics ran in their August 1986 issues to tease the then-upcoming 12 issue maxi-series by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. Some are commenting that the staging of the drawing is incomplete in that there are small details in the drawings that are clues that foreshadow some important events of the story, but these details have been left out of the photos.

Here are 6 of DC Comics’ original house ads by Dave Gibbons to which the movie posters pay (apparently incomplete) homage.

via Blog at Newsarama

The cast of Watchmen sat down at SDCC for a Q&A. Thank IFC News for the footage!

via IFC News

DC Direct finally unveiled their verison of omnipotent Watchmen beefcake Doctor Manhattan in both statue AND action figure form at 2008 SDCC. I’m not surprised they chose to go with his black speedo instead of capturing his later free balling phase for posterity.

from CoolToyReview

The eagerly anticipated Watchmen trailer at last! “From the visionary director of 300″ comes the silver screen adaption of the “most celebrated graphic novel of our time.” Damn they know how to sling some hype. But it is deserved.

The trailer is just enough to give you a taste of the richness of the world that has been created here. I haven’t looked forward to a movie this much since I heard X-Men 3 was the Dark Phoenix story - but this time I don’t think there will be soul crushing disappointment.

and be sure to check out amazingly well-designed Official Watchmen Site. It is also a thing of beauty.

Can you tell I’m excited for this movie?!

Those of you who were hoping for versions a bit more like the 1950s watchmen are in luck… The modern Wave of Watchmen action figures due out on January 28th 2009 will be followed closely (February 25, 2009) by wave 2, which will consist of 4 classic-era figures… Silk Spectre, the Comedian, Nite Owl and Dr. Manhattan (who has yet to be revealed - but I’m betting will be sporting his classic swimsuit instead of the modern free-balling version - just don’t see DCD sculpting a little blue penis on him).

Any of you eagerly anticipating next years Watchmen movie will want to see this… A prop those who read the original should recognize the photo of the 1940 original lineup of The Minutemen - the predecessors to the Watchmen - taken right before Comedian’s attempted rape of Silk Spectre.

From left to right: SILHOUETTE, MOTHMAN, DOLLAR BILL, NITE OWL, CAPTAIN METROPOLIS, COMEDIAN, SILK SPECTRE and HOODED JUSTICE.

via Aint It Cool News and MajorSpoilers

From DCD we see more shots of the Watchmen figures due 1st quarter 2009