History Trivia / WatchMen

* DisownedAdaptation: As part of his continuing vendetta with DC Comics, Moore put a hex on the film, literally. It worked as well as hexes [[RealityEnsues ever do]], though Moore reportedly did enjoy gloating over the film's box-office failure.

* InspirationForTheWork: Quite a lot with Moore and Gibbons discussing many inspirations:
** Moore cited Creator/HarveyKurtzman's satire "Superduperman" as his main inspiration. He also described literary inspirations such as ''Literature/MobyDick'', Creator/ThomasPynchon and Creator/BertoltBrecht for his attitude to the plot. Creator/WillEisner's ''ComicBook/TheSpirit'' for its humanism, its use of New York locales, and its focus on ordinary people and how they relate to the Spirit was also an influence.
** Creator/SteveDitko was a major inspiration for both Moore and Gibbons. The Watchmen characters are derivatives of Ditko's Charlton creations, while Rorschach was intended as a {{Deconstruction}} of ''ComicBook/MrA''. Both Moore and Gibbons also took inspiration from Ditko's eye for character creation to create figures who were iconic and recognizable even if they were one-shot characters. Gibbons also cited Ditko's art on his run of [[ComicBook/LeeDitkoSpiderMan Spider-Man]] as a major inspiration, especially for its blend of real places with the bizarre and fantastic as well as his use of the 9 Panel Grid.

* DarkhorseCasting: None of the actors who played the superheroes were huge stars at the time of the film's release, arguably the two biggest names (Jackie Earle Haley and Jeffrey Dean Morgan) had primarily gotten work as a child star and in parts on TV, respectively.

[[AudienceAlienatingPremise Theater attendance even took a hit]] when some people found it the thing that looks like a cool superhero story was mostly deconstructing the medium.

* PublicMediumIgnorance: ''Watchmen'' is [[InsistentTerminology frequently called a "graphic novel"]]. However, it was originally published from 1986-1987 as a twelve issue standard comic book limited series. But immediately after the end of the limited series, it was compiled into what is more properly called a "trade paperback" (among the very first comic book limited series to receive this treatment, ''ComicBook/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns'' also gets this misconception) and it is in this sole format that ''Watchmen'' is still published to this very day.

* PublicMediumIgnorance: ''Watchmen'' is [[InsistentTerminology frequently called a "graphic novel"]]. However, it was originally published from 1986-1987 as a twelve issue standard comic book limited series. But immediately after the end of the limited series, it was compiled into what is more properly called a "trade paperback" and it is in this sole format that ''Watchmen'' is still published to this very day.

* NewbieBoom: With the announcement of the ''Film/{{Watchmen}}'' film, people swarmed to read the original graphic novel which swelled the fanbase to massive size. That was until some realized what type of story Creator/AlanMoore was telling. [[AudienceAlienatingPremise Theater attendance even took a hit]] when some people found it the thing that looks like a cool superhero story was mostly deconstructing the medium.

** [[Characters/WatchmenRorschach Walter Kovacs / Rorshach]]

** [[Characters/WatchmenOzymandias Walter Kovacs / Ozymandias]]

*** Creator/TomCruise, Creator/KevinCostner, and Creator/SimonPegg were also approached for the role of Ozymandias before Creator/MatthewGoode was cast. Pegg reportedly turned down the offer due the fears of being [[Main/TypeCasting typecast]] as the character.
** Creator/PaddyConsidine was the initial choice for the part of Rorschach before the casting of Creator/JackieEarleHaley.

* DearNegativeReader: If you hated the movie (especially before you've seen it), you can all [[MemeticMutation line up and suck Matthew Goode's dick because he doesn't give a fuck.]]

** Also Creator/JackieEarleHaley, who has naturally dark hair, as redhead Rorschach.
** In a physical sense, Haley had an asphyxiating mask, both Goode and Patrick Wilson wore bodysuits that made them sweat profusely, Creator/MalinAkerman wore a cold latex suit in the already chilly Vancouver, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan went through hours of make-up. The one who endured the least was Creator/BillyCrudup [[SerkisFolk wearing a light-emitting mocap suit]].
** Creator/PatrickWilson gained 25 pounds to portray the older and out of shape Dan.

* CharacterSpecificPages: [[Characters/WatchmenRorschach Walter Kovacs / Rorshach]]

*** Creator/RonPerlman, Creator/MelGibson, and Creator/TommyLeeJones were also considered for The Comedian before the casting of Morgan.

* DistancedFromCurrentEvents: [[http://www.forbes.com/sites/olliebarder/2016/05/11/david-hayter-on-voicing-snake-in-metal-gear-and-the-joys-of-being-covered-in-goo/ According to screenwriter]] Creator/DavidHayter, the film's different ending from the graphic novel [[spoiler:where Ozymandias frames Dr. Manhattan by blowing up New York with their machine's energy, instead of building a "squid" monster that destroys the city and appears to be an attack by aliens]] came about because 9/11 happened the day after Hayter signed his contract with Universal. Fearing that mirroring the recent massacre in film would be too painful, he rewrote the ending to instead mirror the more distant bombing of Hiroshima. (The film itself premiered in 2009, eight years after 9/11.)
* DyeingForYourArt: Matthew Goode (Ozymandias) usually has dark hair. What you see in the movie is actually a wig [[http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w218/MeganPhntmGrl/Ozymandias/ozymandias044.jpg (here's a picture of it being applied)]].

* FakeAmerican: Silk Spectre, Hollis Mason, Moloch, and Janey Slater are played by Canadian actors Creator/MalinAkerman, Creator/StephenMcHattie, Creator/MattFrewer, and Creator/LauraMennell respectively. UsefulNotes/RichardNixon is played by English actor Creator/RobertWisden.

* CreatorBacklash: Alan Moore regrets that this book helped usher in UsefulNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks, admitting that he was undergoing a CreatorBreakdown while writing it.

*** Creator/TomCruise, Creator/KevinCostner, and Creator/SimonPegg were also approached for the role of Ozymandias before [[Series/ADiscoveryOfWitches Matthew Goode]] was cast. Pegg reportedly turned down the offer due the fears of being [[Main/TypeCasting typecast]] as the character.

* CreatorBacklash: As for the original comic itself, Alan Moore regrets that this book helped usher in UsefulNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks, admitting that he was undergoing a CreatorBreakdown while writing it.

* NamesTheSame:
** The second season of ''Series/TheWire'' also features a company called "Pyramid Delivery". In both works, the company turns out to be a front set up by the BigBad ([[spoiler:Adrian Veidt]] and The Greek, respectively).
** Edgar Jacobi presumably bears no relation to the Tooth Fairy's first victim in ''Literature/RedDragon'', Edward Jacobi.

* TooSoon: [[http://www.forbes.com/sites/olliebarder/2016/05/11/david-hayter-on-voicing-snake-in-metal-gear-and-the-joys-of-being-covered-in-goo/ According to screenwriter]] Creator/DavidHayter, the film's different ending from the graphic novel [[spoiler:where Ozymandias frames Dr. Manhattan by blowing up New York with their machine's energy, instead of building a "squid" monster that destroys the city and appears to be an attack by aliens]] came about because 9/11 happened the day after Hayter signed his contract with Universal. Fearing that mirroring the recent massacre in film would be too painful, he rewrote the ending to instead mirror the more distant bombing of Hiroshima. (The film itself premiered in 2009, eight years after 9/11.)

* DisownedAdaptation: Creator/AlanMoore does not like the idea of the ''[[{{Prequel}} Before Watchmen]]'' comics, and refused to read them or ''Doomsday Clock'', and has abstained from watching the film adaptation or the HBO series. Dave Gibbons, on the other hand, was more open to the idea of prequels, even wishing the new team of writers and artists well; however, he insists that to him, these aren't canon at all, but merely derivative work. [[http://screenrant.com/watchmen-sequel-doomsday-clock-dave-gibbons-not-intested/ Gibbons also states that he is utterly indifferent to]] ''ComicBook/DoomsdayClock'' and that he categorically will not read them and that the interviewer should consider himself lucky that he got more than a "no comment" out of him. He also has a consulting credit on the show.

* FakeAmerican: Silk Spectre, Hollis Mason, Moloch, and Janey Slater are played by Canadian actors Creator/MalinAkerman, Creator/StephenMcHattie, Matt Frewer, and Laura Mennell respectively. UsefulNotes/RichardNixon is played by English actor Robert Wisden.
* FakeNationality: The German-American Ozymandias is British actor Matthew Goode.

* FollowTheLeader: It, along with ''Dark Knight Returns'', is credited with ushering in UsefulNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks and the graphic novel era.

*** Sam Hamm version: [[spoiler.Ozymandias is vaporized, leaving only a pair of boots behind.]]

* TooSoon: [[http://www.forbes.com/sites/olliebarder/2016/05/11/david-hayter-on-voicing-snake-in-metal-gear-and-the-joys-of-being-covered-in-goo/ According to screenwriter]] Creator/DavidHayter, the film's different ending from the graphic novel [[spoiler:where Oxymandiaz frames Dr. Manhattan by blowing up New York with their machine's energy, instead of building a "squid" monster that destroys the city and appears to be an attack by aliens]] came about because 9/11 happened the day after Hayter signed his contract with Universal. Fearing that mirroring the recent massacre in film would be too painful, he rewrote the ending to instead mirror the more distant bombing of Hiroshima. (The film itself premiered in 2009, eight years after 9/11.)

** Creator/TerryGilliam, Creator/DarrenAronofsky, Creator/PaulGreengrass, and Creator/DavidHayter were all attached to direct the movie at various points of production. Gilliam had [[Script/{{Watchmen}} a screenplay written by Sam Hamm]] (writer of Creator/TimBurton's ''Film/{{Batman|1989}}'') to work with, while the others had one by Hayter himself. Much like the final film and more so than Hamm's, Hayter's treatment was pretty faithful, more prone to simplifying or cutting things out rather than changing them. However, it was set in the then-present day (2005), Laurie's alias was changed to "Slingshot" (Dr. Manhattan gives her the power to shoot energy balls), and the ending is changed even further than it was for the final film. [[spoiler: The squid is also replaced, this time by a solar energy beam. More importantly, Nite Owl changes his mind about compromising and (barely) defeats and kills Ozymandias, since [[AndThisIsFor "that's what Rorschach would've done."]]. Well, having worked on ''Franchise/MetalGear'' really makes your mind go places.]] Though, according to Hayter, he actually managed to get the approval of Creator/AlanMoore concerning his version of the screenplay.

*** Sam Hamm version: [[spoiler: Ozymandias is vaporized, leaving only a pair of boots behind.]]
*** David Hayter version: [[spoiler: Nite-Owl stabs and kills him with his "owlrang".]]
*** Alex Tse version: [[spoiler: Ozymandias is crushed by Nite-Owl's ship and bleeds to death. His body is then set aflame by the ship's afterburners as it leaves Karnak.]]

** The second season of ''Series/TheWire'' also features a company called "Pyramid Delivery". In both works, the company turns out to be a front set up by the BigBad ([[spoiler: Adrian Veidt]] and The Greek, respectively).

* FollowTheLeader: It and ''Dark Knight Returns'' is credited with ushering in UsefulNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks and the graphic novel era.

** The story was originally meant to star the heroes of the now-forgotten MLJ Comics stable, but when Moore realized he didn't have the rights to MLJ, he turned to Charlton Comics that DC Comics had recently bought --ComicBook/CaptainAtom, the ComicBook/BlueBeetle, ComicBook/TheQuestion, etc -- but Alan Moore's story didn't mesh with DC's plans to integrate them into the revamped DCU that would follow ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'', so he created a bunch of AlternateCompanyEquivalent that are now arguably more famous than the characters who inspired them.