WATCHMEN Movie Discussion (book SPOILERS)

[IrishJedi]

It's "masterful manipulation", as you put it.

Fox sat on the rights for DECADES. Now, the puss heads get to share in profit on the film WITHOUT HAVING TO SPEND A SINGLE DIME ON ITS PRODUCTION. This is apparently what they hoped for all along.

A-holes.

Hollywood is cesspool of slime.

 

[EVILFACE]

Here's all the legal documents about the case.

https://uncivilsociety.org/2008/08/watchmen-lawsuit-original-docu.html

I've been involved in reading and writing entertainment agreements for some time and after looking at these it appears that WB doesn't really have a leg to stand on. Fox has them by the cojones, thanks to Larry Gordon.

But it is ironic that Paramount greenlit the movie some years ago and Fox said nothing. When Paramount finally abandoned the project and it was offered in turnaround to all the studios - Fox still said nothing. Only after the picture has finished principal photograhy does Fox do anything. Either they were asleep at the switch, or it's masterful manipulation. Either way - WB is going to have to pay up big time I think.

So Warner Brothers owning DC Comics who published Watchment means nothing?

 

[barbelith]

So Warner Brothers owning DC Comics who published Watchment means nothing?

Nope. They sold the film rights long ago.

 

[IrishJedi]

So Warner Brothers owning DC Comics who published Watchment means nothing?

No, because DC Comics sold the film rights to 20th Century Fox back in the late 80s.

 

[barbelith]

Fox sat on the rights for DECADES. Now, the puss heads get to share in profit on the film WITHOUT HAVING TO SPEND A SINGLE DIME ON ITS PRODUCTION. This is apparently what they hoped for all along.

A-holes.

Hollywood is cesspool of slime.

Can I come into your house and take all the things you're not using?

 

[IrishJedi]

Can I come into your house and take all the things you're not using?

The more apt analogy would be acquiring a lot of stuff I have no itention of really using and hoping you come and take it from me (while I am actually watching and say nothing). Then, when you sell it all on eBay and make tons of money I'll demand my share.

 

[Darklord Dave]

A more apt analogy is owning a recipe for fantastic steak meal and then once I cook the meal and get ready to deliver it to the customer, you saying that the customer can't have it because you own the recipe.

But Fox did put in nearly $500K that they've never been paid back - so they do have a real legitimate claim.

 

[wofford29]

Pretty smart of Fox if you ask me. I don't care what studio gets rich off of it.

 

[IrishJedi]

Honestly, I don't care who gets what piece of the pie, either... just as long as its still released on 3/6 and Snyder is left alone.

Oh, and don't ^^^^ with my upcoming collectibles, either.

 

[barbelith]

The more apt analogy would be acquiring a lot of stuff I have no itention of really using and hoping you come and take it from me (while I am actually watching and say nothing). Then, when you sell it all on eBay and make tons of money I'll demand my share.

As well you should considering I stole it all from you. But since you seem to be arguing the opposite tack where FOX is concerned I suppose I should keep all the money from your property since I'm the one who monetized it.

 

[IrishJedi]

Okay, having read all of the legal documents (and there are several) it's pretty clear that if the 1991 Quitclaim Fox signed over to Lawrence Gordon stands, Fox is still entitled to 2.5% of any net profits from the theatrical release, plus all of their costs (and interest) in the project to that point. If the Quitclaim is over-ruled by any other standing (or new) orders, it can get messy and will likely end with Hollywood greaseball lawyers negotiating over who gets how much of the pie.

In any scenario, it looks like Fox doesn't have any claim in merchandising rights. So hallelujiah for small miracles.

The judge's order put in an August 22nd deadline for all parties to meet/discuss/negotiate and a September 2nd date for a hearing. So it sounds like this could possibly get settled in short order.

 

[CelticPredator]

Pretty smart of Fox if you ask me. I don't care what studio gets rich off of it.

You should care. Do you know that kind of ^^^^ Fox does on movies? If Fox gets it, Watchmen will be 1hr and 20 minutes long, PG-13, dumbed down, action packed, and be NOTHING like the comic. Thats what will happen. They dont care about movies at all. Its ALL money. And while thats true for the other companies, they do atleast care if they're making a decent product. Not Fux.

 

[King Darkness]

FOX is definitely being douchey here, but you gotta admit that is genius!

Spending next to nothing, and potentially make millions!

 

[The Mike]

I wonder how far this will go....could we see the WB logo followed by the 20th Century Fox fanfare in the same film?

 

[CelticPredator]

Nothing they do is genius to me. I cant admit it, because I dont believe it. God I hate them so much.

 

[EVILFACE]

You should care. Do you know that kind of ^^^^ Fox does on movies? If Fox gets it, Watchmen will be 1hr and 20 minutes long, PG-13, dumbed down, action packed, and be NOTHING like the comic. Thats what will happen. They dont care about movies at all. Its ALL money. And while thats true for the other companies, they do atleast care if they're making a decent product. Not Fux.

So you're saying it will be Fantasic Four part 3?

 

[CelticPredator]

That is what I am saying.

 

[Darklord Dave]

I wonder how far this will go....could we see the WB logo followed by the 20th Century Fox fanfare in the same film?

We see that all the time now - many studios team up on distribution with one taking domestic and the other foreign. But usually both logos come up no matter where it's distributed.

Titanic has both Paramount and Fox's logos in the front.

 

[wofford29]

You should care. Do you know that kind of ^^^^ Fox does on movies? If Fox gets it, Watchmen will be 1hr and 20 minutes long, PG-13, dumbed down, action packed, and be NOTHING like the comic. Thats what will happen. They dont care about movies at all. Its ALL money. And while thats true for the other companies, they do atleast care if they're making a decent product. Not Fux.

Stop watching the ^^^^ty movies they put out then. I prefer to watch the good ones they put out. If you go back a few pages I made a list you can pick from. Every studio puts out crap, and ever studio puts out some quality. Fox is no different.

 

[IrishJedi]

We see that all the time now - many studios team up on distribution with one taking domestic and the other foreign. But usually both logos come up no matter where it's distributed.

Titanic has both Paramount and Fox's logos in the front.

Heck, as it stood before the film would be starting with the WB logo, followed by the Paramount logo, followed by the Legendary Pictures logo, followed by the DC Comics logo. That's four already. What's one more?