Fans of the "Watchmen" graphic novel will be well aware of graffiti that pops up throughout the story asking the question, "Who watches the Watchmen?" But these days, the question should be "Who doesn't watch the Watchmen?"
After a wild week that brought darn-near-daily developments in the "Watchmen" legal battle between Fox and Warner Bros., as well as members of the "Watchmen" cast expressing frustration with the lawsuit, one would think we've seen it all with regard to the legal fiasco surrounding (what we hope will be) one of 2009's biggest films.
Well, hold on to your hat, because The Hollywood Reporter has some fascinating comments from the man whose name has been at the center of the great "Watchmen" battle -- former producer Larry Gordon. And if that's not enough of a capper to the week, current "Watchmen" producer, Lloyd Levin, also speaks out about the case in an open letter on HitFix.com.
Gordon, who has been the focal point of lawsuit coverage after allegedly shopping "Watchmen" to various studios without clearing the rights with Fox, has reportedly sent a long letter to U.S. District Court Judge Gary Feess (the presiding judge in the case) putting the blame on Fox and his former lawyers for the current legal mess. Feess himself has called out Gordon (who is not a party in the case) as the source of the drama, citing that, because Gordon refused to testify to key questions during his deposition, he would not be allowed to have any say in the case on "any aspect."
While the contents of the letter will remain off the record -- especially after Feess' response to it, saying it was an "improper communication" and violation of court rules -- the upshot seems to be that Gordon had signed a "turnaround agreement" with Fox in 1994 that allowed him the opportunity to shop the project to other studios after the production had stalled at Fox. Gordon also claims that he had answered the questions at the aforementioned deposition "to the best of his knowledge," and has a right to clear his name after being subjected to "significant public scorn" due to his involvement with the very public case.
Meanwhile, in Levin's open letter (which, if you're interested in the history surrounding both this case and the behind-the-scenes production of "Watchmen," is required reading), the producer not only stands firm by Gordon, but openly criticizes Fox -- basically, accusing them of opportunism.
"The response we got from Fox was a flat 'pass.' That's it. An internal Fox email documents that executives there felt the script was one of the most unintelligible pieces of s--t they had read in years," wrote Levin. "Conversely, Warner Brothers called us after having read the script and said they were interested in the movie -- yes, they were unsure of the screenplay, and had many questions, but wanted to set a meeting to discuss the project, which they promptly did. Did anyone at Fox ask to meet on the movie? No. Did anyone at Fox express any interest in the movie? No. Express even the slightest interest in the movie? Or the graphic novel? No."
Levin further explains that Warner Bros. -- having took such a bold risk on the project, considering they agreed to make a 3-hour film cast with no-name actors, a then-unproven director ("Zack Snyder came onboard, well before the release of his movie '300.' In fact, well before its completion," Levin wrote) and a budget clocking in at well above $100 million -- deserves "the spoils" for taking a chance that Fox didn't even consider taking.
"Shouldn't Warner Brothers be entitled to the spoils -- if any -- of the risk they took in supporting and making 'Watchmen?'" wrote Levin. "Should Fox have any claim on something they could have had but chose to neither support nor show any interest in?"
Have you been following this case? What do you think of these latest developments? Talk it up in the comments.
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