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Provisions Series: Old Richland - The Bruery
Displayed for educational use only; do not reuse. |
Ratings: 203 | Reviews: 76 | Show All Ratings:
4/5 rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Thanks to Exiled for sharing this bottle.
The beer pours a reddish-amber color with a white head. The aroma is full of toffee and a lot of dark fruit and some alcohol. The flavor is more of the same. I get a lot of brown sugar and toffee and caramel malt. The hops are also present in the flavor and contribute some grassy and piney notes. The alcohol is present but the beer is still easy to drink. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation.
Serving type: bottle
07-19-2011 01:58:38 | More by Mora2000
3.98/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
750ml bottle, poured into a tulip.
A- Murky reddish brown color with three fingers of off white foam. Spectacular lacing.
S- Huge caramel notes dominate the nose. The malt is in the driver's seat here, but there is a healthy hop presence at play in the background.
T- Caramel and toffee intertwine with distinctly hoppy citrus characteristics, giving the beer a very complex flavor profile. Initial caramel malt dissolves into a bitter citrus hoppiness mid palate. The hops slide into a very nice toffee flavor before finishing dry with a slight lingering bitterness.
M- The beer is full bodied with a thick, chewy feel to it. ABV is well hidden by the wonderful interplay of contrasting and complimenting flavors.
O- Overall I am really enjoying this one! Old Richland has become much more like a barlywine since I had it fresh on tap some months ago. At that time it could nearly have qualified as a DIPA, but some time in the bottle has allowed the beer to really come into it's own. The contrasting hops and sweet caramel malt make for a very tasty take on the style. Thanks to The Bruery for another excellent Provisions Series brew.
Serving type: bottle
07-09-2011 04:51:55 | More by Sideswipe
Rhode Island
3.98/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Thanks very much to jdiddy for sharing. Pours an exquisite burnished red/mahogany with a quarter inch cream-colored head embedded with tiny ringlets. Spots of lacing are revealed during the tasting. Nose expresses dark fruits, figs, prunes and a slightly candied character. Taste follows nose with the addition of a hoppiness that sits on the malty backbone. Finish is slightly bitter and medicinal. Mouthfeel is medium-light in consistency with a slightly prickly carbonation. Right now this beer comes off a little too hoppy for my preference, but it's still quite tasty and has great cellaring potential in my opinion.
Serving type: bottle
07-01-2011 00:36:11 | More by Jwale73
3.63/5 rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Pour is a dark caramel color with a healthy tan head.
Aroma of citrus, lots of pine and caramel mixing with sweet candy.
Taste of thick piney resin, a handful of orange , thick caramel malt, mid body malt flavors and a sweet finish. Really a light aftertaste with the bitterness which I was expecting more, but there really is a large forward facing aroma profile that I expect to fall away after a year. This is a very nice tasting barleywine which I would get if it were available locally, but I doubt I will be purchasing this through the Provisions shop and going through a massive hassle of having it shipped to me through a third party. I really wish they would get their ability to ship straightened out.
Very light carbonation with a medium syrupy body. This would probably do well with some barrel aging. I wouldnt be surprised to see it within the next 6 months or so. Overall I think it is a less bittered , less carbonated version of bigfoot at a higher pricepoint. An American Barleywine is what it is supposed to be so that is a bit of a compliment.
Serving type: bottle
06-23-2011 23:43:47 | More by alpinebryant
3.53/5 rDev -8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
750ml bottle into cervoise. From notes
A- This beer pours a dark, muddy brown colour. Nice rocky, muffin top head that left a few stick lacing rings.
S - Lots of caramel sweetness and toffee. Noticeable piney bitterness along with some oranges, lemons, pepper
T - Very distinct caramel malts, making this beer pretty sweet. The pine, grassy bitterness is there and the citric hops are muted. I do pick up a graininess to it mixed in with a hint of honey.
M - Sticky sweet, hard to drink more than a glass and a half.
O - A decent beer. A touch unbalanced and very sweet.
Serving type: bottle
06-20-2011 15:36:21 | More by OakedCanuck
3.73/5 rDev -3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
750ml capped bottle into a snifter
A: Pours a dark brownish red with a huge light tan head that fades to a small layering and leaves a TON of lacing on the glass. Crazy head on this thing and I didn't even pour it that fast.
S: The nose is mostly bready malt and not even a hint of hops. There is a herbal aroma that may be the remnants of hops. The beer is almost stale smelling. For a "heavily hopped" brew I'm not picking up much in the nose and what's there is pretty one dimensional. I wonder if I waited too long to drink this...
T: The taste however has a good earthy/piney hop flavor along with some nice caramel and bready malt. Not nearly the punch in the mouth I was expecting like some others in the style.
M: The feel is big and creamy with really nice carbonation.
O: I was a bit disappointed in the lack of hop flavor and aroma but the overall taste and mouthfeel were good. I have another that I may just stick in the fridge and drink soon...I don't see age being good to this unless it's just in a sick period at the moment.
Serving type: bottle
06-11-2011 06:49:31 | More by GregSVT
3.7/5 rDev -3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
A steady pour produces a three-finger thick, pale amber tinged, tan colored head that leaves a lot of lacing on the sides of my glass. The beer is a concentrated amber color that shows a lightly hazed, amber-red color when held up to the light. The aroma smells sticky with notes of ample, sweet crystal malt and candied citrus zest / pine needles. Concentrated malt notes of brown sugar syrup, even a touch of molasses, plus a huge sweetened whole grain maltiness. The malt, is just about the dominant character here, just edging out the hops, if not because of the up front intensity, then for its staying power. The hops, in addition to the candied citrus zest and candied pine, especially in combination with the rich malt, contribute notes of ripe berries, tobacco, an almost cedar like note that can be quite distinct, as well as cleaner hop notes of lychee, tangelo zest and a bright floral peach note.
Well balanced malt sweetness and herbaceous bitter hop notes up front yield to a more dominant sweetness in the middle that finally in the lingering finish comes to be dominated by a sometimes astringent, raw bitterness and pine-like flavor. The hop character seems to be the dominant character in the flavor, and it is definitely a bit raw and aggressive. The hops and darker malt notes accentuate the herbaceous and pine notes in the hops as well as producing hints of tobacco, cedar and a just plain, raw, aggressive, green hoppiness. More typical fruity hop notes are definitely here as well, though they seem to be muted a bit by the ample crystal / caramelized malt character and the raw herbaceous hop notes, but you do get flavors of essential citrus oil, lychee, touches of other generic tropical fruit, some slightly muddled tangelo zest notes, and a sort of dirty grapefruit note. The malt even seems to have an almost roasty edge, but definitely amply toasted grain, to it in the finish. Chewy, viscous and rich, but the hop character is ample enough that it dries out the palate enough after each sip to keep this from being cloying
The ample malt and ample hop character seem to clash a bit in this beer; it is not so much that I am not enjoying this beer, but there the malt character is too big to really enjoy the bright, vibrant hop character as it muddles and dirties the hop notes at this point and accentuates the harsher side of the hops. With time the hop character will fade and the malt should come into its own, but this was a beer advertised to drink now & for that reason it doesn't really quite work (fresh Bigfoot definitely does this much better). Still, this is quite an enjoyable beer, worth trying, but I would always choose a fresh big foot over a fresh one of these if I had the chance.
Serving type: bottle
06-10-2011 15:04:33 | More by Gueuzedude
4/5 rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Purchased from the Bruery Provisions poured into a Russian River glass. Pours with a thin layer of foam. Smells mouthwatering as I'm in the mood for a hop bomb. This is more like a barley wine and imperial IPA hybrid. Reminds me somewhat of white knuckle. Sticks to the side of the glass. Upon first taste a nice mouth full of hops that dissipates quickly.
Serving type: bottle
06-09-2011 00:59:39 | More by Goldstar81
3.53/5 rDev -8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
750mL bottle poured into tulip, thanks to gcphilli
Pours a clouded burnt orange color with a decent coating of white head. Retention is nice with some splotchy lacing on the glass.
Strong scents of bitter hops with pine and resin. Almost astringent alcohol and slight malt base.
Punch of bitterness with juicy and citrus hops, grapefruit rind and very pithy. Some hints of fruit sweetness, but overwhelmed by waves of bready malt base and caramel. Syrup-like sweetness with biting hop bitterness, swallowed up by extreme alcohol.
Full medium body, higher carbonation, a bit rough on the tongue. Drinks okay but there's definitely some balance issues here.
Serving type: bottle
05-30-2011 06:29:39 | More by xnicknj
3.98/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
750ml bottle into a La Chouffe tulip; thanks to the kind soul who shared this at the Batch 3 Rosso release.
A: Hazy russet body with a solid finger of super-fine tan foam. Fantastic retention, solid sheets of lacing. Beautiful.
S: Caramel, toffee, and fruity, spicy hops. Clean, simple, and good.
T: Follows the nose, with added emphasis on the hops up front and caramel sweetness on the finish. Excellent, but far from transcendent.
M: Smooth, sticky medium body with low carbonation. Ok.
O: This was a solid example of a great style, offering a nice balance of sweet specialty malts and fruity American hops. I wouldn't go out of my way to get more, but I'm very glad I got to try it.
Serving type: bottle
05-14-2011 23:59:37 | More by woosterbill
4/5 rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a great dark amber color with a huge off-white head. The head eventually falls to about an eighth of an inch of creaminess. Lots of bubbly lacing left behind.
Nice citrus in the aroma, blended with caramel malt and some dark fruits. Not much alcohol in the nose like a lot of barleywines.
Definitely a good amount of bitterness in the taste as suggested in the description, but less so than when I had it at the Reserve Party when it was fresh. Getting more sweetness now than before. This is fine as it is tasting closer to a barleywine than a DIPA now, but I did enjoy it a lot when it was hoppier. Still very hoppy for a barleywine though.
Nice medium body with a playful amount of carbonation.
Overall, very enjoyable, but I'm planning to drink my other bottle soon as well.
Serving type: bottle
05-13-2011 02:29:48 | More by ejyoung
4.3/5 rDev +11.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
A - Poured out a clear, copper color with amber highlights. It had a one-finger, off-white head of foam. It left sticky patchy of lace on the glass.
S - It smelled very floral with a piney nose. It had a nice malty presence, too.
T - It tasted of sweet maltiness with some bitter piney hops. It had a mild booziness.
M - It was crisp, sharp and smooth. A medium to full bodied beer with a warm alcohol presence.
O - This is a deliciously good barleywine. Another thanks to drfabulous for sharing.
Serving type: bottle
05-12-2011 02:27:11 | More by zeff80
South Carolina
4.13/5 rDev +7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
one of the first beers from the provision series i opened i was anxious to try this monster of a beer. split between me and alex, this one still kicked our butts.
the pour is a nice light brown/dark amber with a cloudiness and a big head that came up nearly three inches before settling back down. enormous aroma, tons of bright, fresh citrus hops dominate until it cools down and then light caramel malts, and hints of butterscotch do poke their heads up, this is much more noticeable in the finish when the flavor really opens up and you get a sense of how good this one could be. give it a few years and this is going to be absolutely incredible.
overall this was great fresh, super hoppy and full of character, so glad i have another bottle to see what a year or two does to it.
Serving type: bottle
05-05-2011 03:17:05 | More by mikesgroove
3.98/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
As always, big thanks to tOrinO for getting the Bruery bottles out to me. I owe you for that.
Really dark pour, almost completely opaque mahogany with only hints of light coming through the edges. It also sports an impressive thick creamy beige head that shows phenomenal retention as it literally refuses to recede at all.
Definitely a hoppy barley wine in the nose with thick pithy citrus in the form of grapefruit alongside resinous pine. The caramel malts are subtle with a bit of toffee and overripe fruits. Alcohol is barely noticeable.
Taste Is not quite as hoppy as the nose, but it's still hopper than most versions of the style. Sticky resinous pine up front with a more dominant caramel malt backbone than the aroma suggested. Definitely a stronger fruity sweetness as well.
The mouthfeel is medium bodied with low to moderate carbonation and is my main knock on the beer as it's verging on watery.
Tasty hop-forward barley wine but I think the Bruery could amp this up a bit and really hit a home run. I look forward to more iterations in the style from Patrick.
Serving type: bottle
05-02-2011 02:24:08 | More by gford217
3.98/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
This beer was received from pitasoup, from yet another great trade with a great trader. 750mL bottle.
This review will be scored and averaged between three army buddies:
1. (me) Big Chomp Daddy*
2. Lawn Dart
3. Spicy Spence
1. 4
2. 3.5
3. 4
It's slightly cloudy, tannish brown, with a pretty good head and decent enough lacing. Can't complain for the style.
1. 4
2. 4
3. 4
To me it smells like a DIPA. Very hoppy with some pungent malt overtures.
1. 4.5
2. 4.5
3. 4
Tastes like a DIPA too. Very hoppy, you can smell the hops when you pop the bottle and it carries over to the taste. Quite delicious tho.
1. 4
2. 3.5
3. 3
We all thought it was a touch bitter on the aftertaste, but I liked the feel more than my army buddies. Smooth and bitter with a lingering bitter aftertaste.
1. 3.5
2. 3.5
3. 3
We all agreed mostly that it is a fine treat to be split three ways (for a 750 mL) but that it's not an everyday drinker.
For my own opinion tho, being a barleywine fan, this is fine stuff. Too bad it's a one time only release.
*theme song plays
Note: the overage in scores was averaged close as I could call it between appearance and drinkability to reflect the most accurate possible 3-way score.
Serving type: bottle
04-28-2011 21:35:56 | More by AlCaponeJunior
3.95/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Fresh bottle, out of my Founder's tulip.
A- A murky brown color, almost solid. The head is an off white color, and is quite plentiful. The lacing is also pretty stupendous.
S- Smells strongly of grapefruit and dark malt. I also get notes of caramel and piney hops. It really doesn't smell anything like it looks like.
T- The bite of the hops is evident immediately. The beer then smooths to a nice rich barleywine. The hops linger in the aftertaste forever. I get what they are going for with the style, however it's a little hop heavy.
M- I would expect it to be a bit thicker as a barleywine. The carbonation though is spot on, and it's quite a complex beer.
O- It's a good American Barleywine, but needs a bit more barleywine in it. The hop profile is very nice, and it certainly isn't hard to drink.
Serving type: bottle
04-19-2011 00:11:37 | More by Gfunk720
3.93/5 rDev +2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Thanks to Alex L for being my trustee and getting these out to me. Served in a Jackie O's snifter.
Pours a moderate copper color with a large off white head and quite a bit of lacing as it goes down. Nice collar throughout. The nose brings forward a good amount of citrus hops plus some sweet malt in the background--a bit of caramel plus a nice amount of candied sugar. Favor is enhanced by a good amount of bitterness. Hops are at the front with a bit of sweet malt in the background. Body is medium with a nice bitter finish. A nice barleywine, and I am excited to see how this one ages.
Serving type: bottle
04-03-2011 00:34:19 | More by Thorpe429
3.65/5 rDev -5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
You know this is a barleywine because it says so on the label and it has the word "OLD" in the name. Very clever Bruery. Served in a Bruery tulip because...well let's be honest, if you could you would too.
Beer is kind of ruby / amber red with tan bubbles that leaves some lacing on the glass. Carbonation mild to moderate. The lacing really destroyed the glassware. I doubt you'd see this effect with another brewery's glass. Seriously people, drink the beer out of the right glassware.
Aroma is sweet, mild ethanol, malt, a faint pine hop note off in the distance. I wonder if it would smell better if I put on my Bruery T-shirt.
Beer is a little thin on the get go but fills out in the mouth. Mildly alcoholic / boozy on the palate with a semi-dry finish. Second sip was better than the first with more hop presence on the palate, a better finish with some mild bitterness that lingers, it is earthy rather than piny hops on the palate. It is a decent beer, not earth shattering, still a little hot. I have another, I'll take it to a tasting someday in the future, could use a little time in the closet...if you know what I mean.
Serving type: bottle
04-01-2011 03:18:35 | More by drabmuh
New Hampshire
3.75/5 rDev -2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5
Thanks for the glass Dave!
Pours a ruby-red brown with a fingers worth of creamy white head. Nice lacing. Looks good.
Lots of grassy, leafy hops on the nose. Caramel and a few dark fruits. Some sweet malts and a touch of alcohol. Figs and raisins in the background.
The taste is filled with hoppy caramel maltiness. Hoppy wood-char on the finish. A little bit of fig and light citrus. Fairly tasty, but the wood char flavor throws things off a bit. Reminded me of Old Ruffian, which is not a fave.
The mouthfeel is quite good. Almost velvety smooth. Low carbonation. The Bruery always seems to do a pretty good job with the body of their beers.
Overall, this is well done for an American barleywine. Not my favorite, but it sticks to the style well. Definitely need to split this with a friend or two. It would be hard to finish a bottle on my own.
Serving type: bottle
03-22-2011 19:37:55 | More by sisuspeed
3.45/5 rDev -10.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
Pours a carnelian reddish brown with two to three fingers of sticky head.
Caramel malts, brown sugar, and some dank floral hops. Also, strong whiffs of citrus and grapefruit hops.
Resinous, floral, and grapefruit hop medley, some brown sugar, somewhat earthy, and a toffee sweetness.
Disappointingly thin feel, even though it's only medium-low in body and fairly low in carbonation. Watery.
Not the biggest fan at this stage. It doesn't scream barleywine to me, but it doesn't work for me as a DIPA either (hop profile seems muddled). Not a complete miss (nice look and aroma), but the body is oddly watery and the taste is here and there.
Serving type: bottle
03-12-2011 03:28:09 | More by Verecund
4.28/5 rDev +11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
First Bruery beer in a long time. Thanks to Nicks6217 for sending this out.
A-- Poured a dark, golden amber color. Dark leather is a better way of putting it. Light brown, two finger, light brown colored head. Excellent streaks of lacing on this. Good head retention on swirling.
S-- Big hoppy nose up front that drops off to Carmel, toffee, apricot and prune notes. In some ways this has a lot of a smell of a DIPA.
T-- Hops up front and followed by a lot of rich, thick, and buttery Carmel backbone. Very nice.
M-- Mostly pine hops in this. To me the pine is stronger in the mouth feel than in the taste. Pretty much medium feel and higher medium carbonated. A little bit creamy at times. Quite a dry finish to this with a pine and grapefruit punch. ABV is noticeable in the mouth.
D-- Quite nice. Has a bit of the DIPA smell and feel and a lot of the barley wine character to this. Should have got a second bottle of it. ABV is there and feel it about halfway through this but still a very good beer.
Serving type: bottle
03-01-2011 12:32:13 | More by mulder1010
4.03/5 rDev +4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured into a tulip.
Dark amber that looks brown in dim light. Two finger off white head. Good retention and lacing left behind.
Smells of brown sugar and amber malt. Lots of floral hops.
Tastes of a flash of brown sugar and subtle licorice. Then slightly resinous and mostly floral hops take over.
Mouthfeel is almost heavy but with really nice carbonation that lightens things up. The finish is surprisingly dry. Suspiciously DIPA like body, much less of the thick/syrupy mouth feel I expect from a Barleywine.
A super floral/hoppy "Barleywine." Very nice. I dig it.
Serving type: bottle
02-21-2011 01:53:19 | More by billshmeinke
3.88/5 rDev +0.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
nose of wet wood and raisins...copper.... a small bit of sassafrass
it looks deep and rich..very pretty in a large bowled and stemmed glass
tangy...more of the sarsparilla taste...earthy...damp earthy things...not saisony at all though....9%...decent amount of hops..the malt keeps them barely in check...in a good way...a bit of alcohol comes though but fades...
Serving type: bottle
02-18-2011 07:52:19 | More by treehouse
4.45/5 rDev +15.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Poured from a Bruery growler into three pint glasses. Thanks to Steve and Chris for the assist! Extra special thanks to errantnight for the amazing hook-up!
A: Pours a muddy/cloudy Des Plaines River water brown. A massively creamy yet rocky four finger layer of foam rises up, way over the rim of the glass, and hangs tight before slowly receeding and leaving a wonderful mess of lace stuck to the sides of the glass.
S: Loads of sticky pine resin hops. Before long, a thick layer of sweet caramel and pan roasted nuts come on to soften the blow.
T: Just as above with an excellent level of boozy heat. Just enough to let you know it's there, but not enough to wreck your palate.
M: As the growler wore on it picked up a twinge of barleywine roughness. Pretty typical for the style. Loads of oily hops and spicy alcohol mixed with a little caramel sweetness for balance.
D: Drinks waaay better that expected. We killed this growler far too quickly! These limited Bruery releases have been stellar as of late!
Serving type: growler
02-02-2011 00:08:18 | More by GbVDave
3.9/5 rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
On cask for First Firkin Friday at the Bruery
A: The pour from the cask is a dark amber one with a creamy yet slightly airy off-white head.
S: The nose is very hoppy, which is always nice. Lots of lemon and grapefruit rind with just a touch of pine. The basic aromas of toffee, chocolate, and caramel (maybe some bread, too) are there.
T: Not quite as bitter as I would have expected, given the nose, but that's not to say it's weak in this area. Grapefruit and pine provide the hop character, but there is that perfume and alcohol flavor that brings down the enjoyment level for me. Not quite as sweet as you would anticipate for a barleywine, either. While there are some malt flavors, it's pretty dry.
M: The body is medium with the low smooth carbonation I expect from the cask.
D: A pretty solid barleywine here. I think it might benefit from a little more aging, but still pretty good right now.
Serving type: cask
01-12-2011 17:21:06 | More by womencantsail
Provisions Series: Old Richland from The Bruery
out of 100
based on 203 ratings.


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So I'm your basic TEENAGER....
So I'm your basic TEENAGER. My hair never goes the way I want it too. MY ROOM can't stay clean for more than a day. And THERES THIS GUY that I'm absolutely crazy about.
Love (3630)
August 12, 2008
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Clarinda man dies after losing control of car, driving off steep embankment
A 24-year-old man died after he lost control of his car and drove off a steep embankment near Council Bluffs on Sunday morning, according to an Iowa State Patrol crash report. Jake William Champ of Clarinda was driving northbound on 221st Street southeast of Council Bluffs when, for an unknown reason, ...
Chicago boy drowns in Iowa river at Clarinda
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources reports an 11-year-old Chicago boy drowned in the Nodaway River at Clarinda on Tuesday. Here's the full release: CHICAGO YOUTH DROWNS TUESDAY NIGHT AT CLARINDA CLARINDA – An 11-year-old male youth from Chicago drowned Tuesday night in the Nodaway River at Clarinda. A 16-year-old female who attempted ...
Two plead guilty of poaching deer
It's been an active year for poaching. Here's the latest from the Iowa Department of Natural Resource: CLARINDA, Iowa – Two men were cited Wednesday for illegally poaching three buck deer in Iowa. Paul McCulley, 67, Greenwell Springs, La., and Michael McCulley, 36, of Brandon, Miss., each pleaded guilty to ...
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Originally published on Mon September 10, 2012 12:17 pm
I'm Michel Martin and this is TELL ME MORE from NPR News. Coming up, we'll talk about how a master violin maker holds onto his art form in this struggling economy. Talk about that in just a few minutes.
This is TELL ME MORE from NPR News. I'm Michel Martin. Now it's time to go behind closed doors. That's the part of the program where we talk about difficult issues that are often kept hidden.
And in this election season we've been hearing a lot about why candidates take on the issues they've chosen to address. Sometimes it's because an issue is popular, but sometimes it's just too important to ignore, and sometimes it's also personal.
Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula's second-in-command has been killed in Yemen, a government website reports.
Saudi national Saeed al-Shehri was killed in the Hadramawt area of southern Yemen along with six other militants, according to the website and ministry of defense officials quoted by the BBC.
Originally published on Mon September 10, 2012 7:59 am
Remember the dark days of 2008 when insurer American International Group Inc., better known as AIG, nearly collapsed under the weight of the mortgage crisis before Washington rode to the rescue to the tune of $182 billion?
Then there was the public outrage when AIG executives got millions in bonuses after receiving the largest of all of the Wall Street bailouts.
Since then, the New York-based insurance giant has been essentially a government-owned enterprise, with Uncle Sam holding a controlling share.
Originally published on Mon September 10, 2012 2:58 pm
Teachers in Chicago walked off the job Monday after contract negotiations fell through, leaving 400,000 students in the nation's third-largest district shut out of their classrooms.
Contract talks broke down late last night, and by Monday morning Chicago public school teachers, many wearing red T-shirts and carrying signs, were picketing around the city for the first time in a quarter-century.


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Movie News
AICN Exclusive! So What's Going On With WATCHMEN Casting?!
A longtime source reared his head today and passed on a few tips about faces we're likely to see in WATCHMEN when Zack Snyder's film version of the long-in-development graphic novel adaptation finally makes its way to the screen in 2008, and some of it's surprising, while some of it isn't at all.
Right now, there are offers out to three people to join the cast. If the studio's gotten to the point where they're officially making an offer, you can expect that these people will most likely make it into the film.
So that means we'll see The Prom King, Patrick Wilson, suit up as Night Owl. I think he's a great choice for Dan, and all you need to do is look at the work he did in LITTLE CHILDREN as an example of the sort of quiet sadness he'll bring to the role.
Dr. Manhattan is a tricky part, and there's something alien and otherworldly about him. Keanu Reeves always seems to me to be on a different wavelength than anyone else on the planet, so when he steps into the part as the big blue superbeing, it might be a nice fit.
And in the biggest "duh" of the year, Jude Law has been offered the role of Adrien Veidt, aka Ozymandias. Perfect choice, and Law's been saying for years that he is a huge fan of the material. If anyone out there is more right for the role, I don't know who it is.
Hopefully we'll have more WATCHMEN news for you as it develops, and my thanks to the always-watchful Boss Hogg for the heads up.
Drew McWeeny, Los Angeles
Drew McWeeny, Los Angeles
Readers Talkback
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at Jude Law Tom Cruise would have been perfect
so looking forward to this
wouldn't that be cool?
...should play Rorschach.
please... please no
For some reason I thought of a more middle aged cast. Still not a bad line-up
I can understand your reasoning, Moriarty, but... that role requires someone who can pull off the sadness required towards the end of the story, and not a one-note mannequin.
I guess I need to wait to reserve judgment, but... I was hoping for someone with better acting chops.
May 21, 2007, 3:36 p.m. CST
Dr. Manhattan's Reaction to Creating a Crystal Palace..
by Aquatarkusman
.. on Mars: "Whoa"
Jude is perfect casting, I'd say Wilson would have to put on a few pounds to make it perfect... looks good so far... 'cept Keanu... I'll have to see what they do with him and how they do it, but I'm open to the idea. Dr. Manhattan looks like it'd be hard to do.
this will be terrible
Whilst I worship at the throne of Keanu, I do NOT see that.
Dr Cox as Rorschach. Nuff said.
Phenomenal casting!
Jude Law as Ozymandias? Perfect. Soon as I heard that, i couldn't picture anyone else but him in the role. I agree that Hammill would be AWESOME as Rorschach. MH has been impressing the fanboys for over 15 years with his voiceover work, but he needs a good movie role to break him out of the "Luke Skywalker" mindset everyone has of him, and this would be it. I can't quite see anyone as the Silk Spectre. Nobody currently has the 'it' factor needed to play her. Probably better off getting an unknown or indie actress to take on that role.
I've no feckin idea why that sissy bum is getting jobs! He can't act and nobody likes the fooker. Also too fraggin short. Jood hasn't cannot pull off the role of the brainiest man on Earth. On the otherhand if he muscles up and they ugly-fi the guy he would be ok as Rawshark but that only if they force Jood down our throats.
Dr. Manhattan: Whoa.
They also have to be able to play the younger versions in the flashbacks, so it probably makes more sense to get younger actors who can get some minimal makeup to age them, than to get middle aged actors and expect them to convincingly portray 20 something versions of the characters as well.
I hope so.
Matthew Modine as Night Owl, Billy Campbell as Dr. Manhattan, Dan Futterman as Ozymandias.
May 21, 2007, 3:42 p.m. CST
I wish they had gone a little older with the casting.
by herow/1000faces
Think John Cusack as Nite Owl. (I actually always pictured William Hurt as Nite Owl - even older casting.) As it stands - I vote for Paul Bettany for Rorschach.
Remember that actor from Boomtown and Band of Brothers? HE'S Dr. Manhattan. Keanu? Please don't cast him!
Will fuck this film up. HE IS WORTHLESS. I still dont get why he has any kind of career outside of TED. My boner just went down for this film.
Okay Jude Law IS agood choice in my opinion for Ozymandias, but the other two are definately all wrong. Keanu shouldn't be let anywhere near something like Watchmen and Wilson is WAY too fit and good looking. I imagined someone older and out of shape for that part, like Paul Giamatti or something. As for Dr. Manhattan, I pictured someone like Djimon Hounsou playing him, whom I think would be perfect.
Keanu Reeves????? That doesn't make sense....
They will have to flashback to younger versions of them. My guess is it's easier to make a young person look older than an older person look young again. Hence, get younger actors.
or uhh... David Caruso.
...but I'm not sure if Keanu Reeves and Jude Law be considered as great casting for anything.
...but I'm not sure if Keanu Reeves and Jude Law can be considered as great casting for anything.
You know you want it. Ron Pearlman as The Comedian!
or Sam Rockwell.
Good luck with that...
Take that.
in a smart, handsome, nerdy type of guy. A couple questions in regards to the story of Watchmen, which I'm sure have already been discussed. So, I'm sorry. BUT, will this take place in the 80's alternate universe NYC with Nixon as President and have flashbacks to the forties, sixties when explaining the origins of the groups? Plus, how are they going to do the parallel cannibal story that that kid reads at the newstand. Not to mention the totally in depth history of most of the characters. If you skimp on this stuff, you basically have a generic superhero whodunit story. It's the details and history which makes the book great.
annoying geeky fanboy explosion in 3...2...1
but making old actors look younger (for the Minutemen flashbacks) is a lot harder. X-Men 3 did it well (it's about the only thing that shitfest did well), but it also cost some money -- money Watchmen could be spending elsewhere. And, caltsoudas, Wilson can eat some sandwiches to fatten up. Christ, why is it that fanboys have no imagination whatsoever?
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Jackie Earle Haley is a great choice for Rorschach. Also, I agree with caltsoudas...Patrick Wilson seems a better fit for Dr. Manhattan then Nite Owl. If they were going a little older with casting I'd say John Corbett might make a good Osterman/Manhattan.
You know they wouldn't get to use the line from when Rorschach is writing about his meeting with him: "Possibly homosexual? Must investigate further". And Manhattan is meant to be a cold, emotionless being for most of the film. Who better for emotionless performances than Keanu!
From what I heard...

 Yes to the 80s timesetting. It's supposed to take place in the 80s. As for the Pirate story, rumors circulated that for time constraints, they might have to cut the Black Freighter parallel storyline.
Plus I actually pictured Jennifer Aniston as being a good Silk Spectre. Just because she seems so jaded and cranky all the time. Aniston is good at doing bitchy without coming off as a bitch and she's got that not too young/not too old/but still easy on the eyes thing going on.
no way...still: WHERES RATCHET??
I don't care if he has a Watchmen tattoo on his face, he's wrong for Ozy. He looks too young and will probably come off as too arrogant, AV was supposed to be likable. Keanu I'm Ok with for now until i see the make-up. It would have been better to get an unknown though.
from what i remember from the books (read about 20 years ago, manhattan was a huge muscular blue guy. I cant see keanu playing that. although they can do anything with cgi aka tasg in the 300.Djimon Hounsou would be good but his accent would fark it up. needs someone who can act like brent spiner, like a emotionaless andriod. hold on.. keanus perfect!
I think you meant casting him as Ozymandias perhaps?
May 21, 2007, 3:57 p.m. CST
arent these guys supposed to be in their 40's at least?
by BEARison Ford
Interesting, although as others have said, it's easier to age rather than de-age. Dunno about Keanu, we'll see.
Captain America!
Remember, Doc Manhattan doesn't age anymore.
I have been convinced for years that Lee Evans would make the perfect Rorshach. He has the mix of physicality and runty-scrawnyness that the role needs...
or else Russell Crowe? Kurt Russell? Edward James Olmos?
Seriously, he was annoying to his first wife, his second wife and to the readers because he was too self-involved. Aloof. Keanu would be perfect for that! I admit I didn't like his casting in Constantine, but after watching it, I was totally fine with it. If they cast him, he'll do fine. And so will Jude Law and the other guy.

It's the casting of Silk Spectre, Laurie, that we should all be worried about. If they Alba-fy this casting, it'll be horrible. You cannot make a Watchmen 2 to make up for it. You fuck up Laurie Juspeczyk, you fuck up the Watchmen.
Would have been perfect, considering where Ozymandias ends up. It would have been a brave choice and pretty much the only Tom Cruise project I'd have looked forward to.
I don't think it's such a big problem, don't you think that the audience of Heroes are comprised mostly of comic book fans who know Watchmen already ?
Freckled, Red Headed, and Calm Intensity. Clearly the obvious choice.
He is a horrible choice for Watchmen. Yes, he can direct the hell out of an action scene, and he can turn a stylized graphic novel into a beautiful on-screen vision. Unfortunately, Watchmen isn't really stylized at all, and there are basically ZERO action scenes. Nothing in Snyder's ouevre shows he can handle the depth that this material demands.
John Billingsley as night owl, tom selleck as the comedian.Jeffrey Combs as Rorschach and Aaron Eckhart as Ozymandias
Who is with me?
Doc Manhattan always came across as a tall dude in the novel, and I don't associate Ted with tall. I know CGI allows lotsa stuff to happen but it just wouldn't look right, or at least in my head it doesn't.
 I agree wholeheartedly with the peeps that said Doug Jones should get it - and I add that I think he should get to do the voice work as well because that dude CAN NOT catch a break, and it sucks!
 The Dr Cox for Rorschach made me go "hmmmmm" for a second but I changed my mind after that minute.
 I've never seen Mr Wilson (except that old guy in Dennis) so no comment on him... But agree with the "expected someone fatter/out of shape."
 Perlman as The Comedian would be fuckin awesome... Doug Jones for Doc... would be cool if they found a "nobody" who was perfect for Rorschach... The chicks would be quite difficult actually - as long as it's not Jessica Alba for Silk Spectre II im happy. Ozymandias, I've got a friend who looks exactly like the character in the comic, but he can;t act.
I'm not seeing the Manhattan - Keanu connection, but SOMEONE has to play him, so it at least should be someone who is going to bring some attention and devotation to the role. He gets too much shit from fanboys, so I'm just going to wait until I go all yay or nay.
I think William H. Macy would be a fine choice for the character, as would Eric Stoltz, but after seeing Shawn of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, Simon Pegg has my vote.
The guy from Band of Brothers, red head, tough, good actor... What more could you ask for?
It took 63 posts for somebody to say that? ;)
I can see Keanu as Dr. Manhattan, but not as the scientist who becomes Dr. Manhattan. If that makes sense. Patrick Wilson is a good choice for Nite Owl 2, I like that casting. Jude Law is a great choice for Ozymandius. He is an exceptional actor and a great looking and charismatic guy. He will own that part.
 Rorschach is the pivotal role though. Jackie Earle Haley is a very interesting choice. And anyone saying John C. McGinley should be Rorschach, please go actually read WATCHMEN.
Great post as always Moriarty, Looking forward to more Watchmen news as I am a fan of the material also.
I've always said that if anyone should play me it should be Jude Law. However, I'm not a dumb ass and would not cheat on someone as effing hot as Sienna Miller. Idiot.
By the time Watchmen comes out, the whole story will have been told by Heroes on NBC. They are closely following the Watchmen concept and storyline. It's just not a giant squid thingy, it's a man gone nuclear, which is even more dramatic. It would be nice if the Heroes writers acknowledged this parallel in some episode.
Because then we'd have a Blue Silver Surfer. Who wasn't silver. And just as nekkid.
May 21, 2007, 4:25 p.m. CST
You fuck up Laurie Juspeczyk, you fuck up the Watchmen.
by Canada's King
Aznbuddy's post a few up top is on the mark about Silk Spectre. She's the generational glue that holds the two eras of Watchmen together, as well as connecting all the other characters. In a strange way, the actress who plays her is gonna have to face some challenging acting, too, considering half her scenes take place with a radioactive blue guy. To again echo what Aznbuddy said, Snyder & Co. CANNOT Alba-fy this casting.
bullshit to me. There is a world of difference between offered parts, auditions, etc and actual casting. Fucking Nick Nolte auditioned for Han Solo, doesn't mean shit.
Jude Law IS perfect as Ozy.
... I didn't say anything about "auditions." These are offers. The studio has put money on the table and negotiations are underway. It's a very specific part of the casting process, and once it gets here, it's pretty much done.
I think this is perfect casting. I've seen a dozen names that would make for a good Rorschach (Mark Hamill, Daniel Craig, William Macy, etc), but I haven't seen any other decent suggestions for an actor that rivals Keanu for his emotionless, wooden style. William Hurt would have been a solid candidate back when "Watchmen" came out, but the guy is probably too old now.
I really like these casting ideas. I'm a little iffy on Keanu. I think he'd be great at it, sure, especially after a performance like A Scanner Darkly, but he just doesn't seem to have the right LOOK about him. I've been wrong before, though...
I really like the idea of Jennifer Connelly as II... and how cool would it be to have Lynda Carter as I? You might have to age her a little bit, but you can still tell that she was/is a beautiful woman, and it'd be a great way to bring in a kind of vibe that the graphic novel has as a commentary on superhero stories.
When I hear Dr. Manhattan's voice when I read the novel, it sounds like I'm listening to what a God would sound like. Yeah, sounds corny, but Dr. Manhattan seems like he'd have a voice that is ageless and accentless. Almost like a news anchors. Calm, but commanding. Keanu can do calm, but can he do commanding?
Think about it. In the graphic novel, the guy with the billboard is just sort of there. You don't really notice him that much. Hell, I had to go back just to see who he was when they took R's mask off. That's what is needed. Someone who's not immediately recognizable. You put someone that people are familiar with in the role, they'll already know he's important to the story when they first see him, which is not a good thing. Sure, it won't make much of a difference to those of us who have read the story, but think of those who haven't. They need to be surprised during the reveal and only an unknown actor can provide that.
I was watching "Little children" last week, thinking that James Earl Haley who was rumored to be in the run for Rorschach, was a very good choice. And strangely enough I was also thinking that Patrick Wilson could have been a good Manhattan. To me, the perfect NiteOwl would have been Norton. Wilson is a bit too cute for the part.
Definitely John C. McGinley for Rorscach. Fantastic casting! I actually think he was pretty menacing in NOTHING TO LOSE, but as that was a Martin Lawrence movie, I reckon virtually no-one else in this talkback will have seen it. Dammit.
And if Doc Cox WAS to be Rorscach, imagine the scene at the end of the novel, Rorscach and Dr Manhattan facing each other in the snow:
 RORSCACH: Yes, your attitude bothers me, yes this whole goddamn case bothers me, and yes, YOU! BOTHER ME!!!
DR MANHATTAN: Caught my first tube this morning. Sir. Whoa.
This is gonna be fucking hilarious. At least Jude Law got the right gig.
Oh, wrong bitchfest, sorry.
 Good rumors. Hope they pan out.
It just makes sense people.
If Keanu is Manhattan, that also means that Gerard Butler will be the Comedian.
You know you want it.
seriously, a CGI Doc with Doug Jones, Larry Fishburne or James Earl Jones doing his voice...
he could pull it off for two twinkies and a fruit pie.
Listen to your friend Billy Zane. He's a cool guy.
oh, I give up.
If I needed proof that they'd fuck it up here it is. Oh, well, I'll probably see it on cable. Sad.
But I actually like Patrick Wilson in the role more. Let's not be surprised if we find King Leonidas casted as The Comedian though, for some reason I have a feeling that might happen. I hope I'm wrong.
the power of Nanny seduction.
Casted isn't a word. You're a dumbass BGDAWES.
You've got to be kidding me...Nite Owl was a middle aged pudgy guy in the book and Patrick Wilson is a super studly muscular guy. But Snyder nailed 300, so I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt. It didn't work out with Singer and Superman, but maybe this will be different.
And had a look at Rorschach in chapter 10, and Damian Lewis could work appearance wise for sure. He's probably a good enough actor to capture all the weird aspects of Rorschach's character, in and out of costume so who knows!
 I think Snarf, with a little help from the CGI department would be perfect for Bubastis... Definitely!
William H Macy for Moloch. I just decided. lol
This casting is fine. Sure, Keanu as Doc Manhattan is maybe a bit disappointing sounding... but by the time you paint Keanu blue, shave his head, and CGI him so he's 30 feet tall you are going to have an image of a character that has no context in Keanu's previous films. The question is, can Keanu act vacant, meditative, spiritual, and angry? The answer is "of course he can". Jude Law as Ozy is a good fit. I'd prefer a more interesting and exciting choice, but the character is in Jude's range. Patrick Wilson as Nite Owl is inspired casting. William H. Macy or John Cussack would have been too obvious. Wilson was the best part of Little Children. He's an immensely talented actor. I was fortunate enough to speak with Snyder when he and Frank Miller were pimping out 20 minutes of 300 to various media outlets based in LA. My friends and I spoke with him for about five minutes about The Watchmen. After hearing him talk about it, I can say he definitely knows what he was doing. Dawn of the Dead was an absolute blast and 300 is a kickass work of art. You really have to give the benefit of the doubt here.
I would have never thought of this, but I can see what you are saying that it may work. He does seem kind of "out there".. I hope they still make him blue, but we'll see.
I could only hope that they wouldn't dare cast keanu reeves.
it was lame rip-off of Heroes
An unknown actor needs to be cast as Rorschach. Remember, the whole point of his character is that he is revealed to be a short crazy bum who we have already seen in the background throughout the book. If you cast a known actor like Eric Stoltz as the "crazy guy holding the end of the world sign", it will ruin the big reveal.
is that Rorschac mask will have lips.
Has to be...Ian McShane.
Yeah, there are 1000 actors who would be better in the part, but there are 100,000 who would be worse, so I'm willing to accept this choice...it is not quite as bad as Jessica Alba in Sin City and that almost worked, so I think this will too.
Just because an actor has red hair DOESN'T automatically make him "perfect" for Rorschach. Or someone with a bald head makes him "perfect" for Dr. Manhattan.
lol...you are joking, but many people will not when Watchmen is released.
For the Lesbian Taxi Driver at the news stand... oh ja.
 I would actually really like to see Jeff Bridges as Dreiberg/Nite Owl 2. MEGA SPOILER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - Dan Dreiberg Cant get it up unless he's wearing his costume, yup, you heard it here first people.
Teens don't like to see old farts in movies. And teens are what drive the box office business. There will some major compromises with the source material, but many of these are probably necessary to get a decent budget. Again, it was a sellout that Nancy wasn't naked in Sin City, but we dealt with it because of the greater good. I'm usually a purist, but I've learned by now that Hollywood is very impure and maybe Snyder can tow the line and make it work.
Harry, use your pull. Get Bruce to read the script. He should be the Comedian.
Snyder is all about making "kickass" movies that kick your ass until it's not even an ass worth kicking anymore. Fine. That is not Watchmen. Watchmen should be directed by Unfrozen David Lean. It should take its time, and feel like it was made for adults, by adults, and is about adults. It can still kick some ass, but with some sense of relevance and resonance, rather than just "is this cool or what?". Some time spent with characters where we're not going "whoa, it almost looks like they're not on a greenscreen stage, but actually in a real place! wicked backgrounds! wicked tunes!" It should be a drama, but with amazing action and effects sequences that support the story content. Snyder is all about "coolness". You can tell by how young he seems to be looking for a cast, if this scoop is any indication. That's why it will suck. As far as my dream casting ideas go, off the top of my head: Rorschach- Paddy Considine, Dr. Manhattan- Billy Zane, The Comedian- Ron Perlman, Night Owl- John Cuzack, Ozymandias- Tom Cruise...I also like the sound of the Connelly/Carter Spectres thing.
My cast was always as follows: Nite-Owl: Jeff Bridges, Rorschach: David Caruso (voice and mannerisims seem dead on, as are his looks with a forrest gump haircut)Ozymandias: Val Kilmer, Dr. Manhatten: William Hurt, Silk Specter 1: Sigourney Weaver, Silk Specter 2: Diane Lane, Comedian: Ron Pearlman (gotta admit...never considered that before, but he beats Berringer, my original choice) Mystic villian of Rorschach who's name begins with an "M" that escapes me right now: Ron Rifkin. Thing with this movie is, the source material has become so much more than a graphic novel, it is a universally respected work of literature that gets the gold standard in ivy league english classes, and rightfully so. Every one of us who has read this over and over has our own vision of it, the best we can hope for is that there is respect given. After 300, I'm willing to give this the benefit of the doubt, and I don't see keanu getting cast as set in stone at this point.
Woop Woop.... Moloch is the villain you're thinking of btw ^^
I prefer these: Night Owl - John Cusack Doc Manhattan - David Hyde Pyrce (DHP for before accident, CG w/voice for after) Rorscharch - David Caruso Comedian - Kurt Russell Jude Law - Ozymandias
I bow to you sir, thanks ;-)
Terrible actor who's marked as NEO for the rest of his life.
Would have been a great NiteOwl, 12 years ago. And he has a couple of projects already lined up for the next months.
Given, Red Hair does not a Rorschach make. Nor does Baldness make a Manhattan (btw were it the 1950s Yul WOULD be an awesome Doc M). But the comic is a visual medium, and I think it's clear that the appearance of each character was carefully crafted in the novel. That's not to say that Snyder has to stick with that, or that tweaking what characters look like would detract from the film. But it IS to say that if you don't have to movie magic an actor into a look it might be advantageous. And I'd love to see a Rorschach that stepped out of those square panels as much as a Drieberg or a Comedian. And I think the ideal casting is going to combine both the look of the character as well as the acting chops that are required to bring that character to life. Talk them both up!
I cannot for the life of me tell them apart!
I'm not sure if he's a good fit for this role since I only read the book once. So I'd have to go back and check but I definitely remember Dr. Manhattan and can't think of why Keanu wouldn't be great. But Ozymandias, wasn't he cooler than Jude Law? Like an all American rich kid type, like JFK, Jr.?
and voiced by computer speech synthesiser. Not the 80's crappy one that Stephen Hawking uses. A modern one.
She is perfect for the part.
"Watchmen" is my "Transformers"
...voiced by Bob Dole!!! Dig it!
Perfect Casting for Rorschach. He's a musician but he's been embodying that kind of persona for years and he looks the part. Checkout the pictures on foetus.org
He is behind the mask 99% of the time, so it doesn't matter how he looks really. I mean he takes off the mask at the end, but that's the only time (except for maybe some flashbacks). I just hope that Snyder doesn't pull a "Raimi" and keep Rorschach maskless the whole movie becuase he thinks we can relate to him better. That woudl be really bad.
I don't know if you've noticed by it's not possible to do realistic CGI humans yet. And it won't be possible in our lifetimes. You saw how much people hated The Hulk (who I thought was fine). But you essentially end up with a real person acting with a puppet and that never works...maybe with mosters (Gollum) or animals (King Kong), but not with humans. We are incredibly discerning when it comes to a human face and human movement, and anything that doesn't look perfect will be too distracting. You can mo-cap the movement and get clsoe, but the face is always going to be off even if you mo-cap that. It just won't work and would eat up too much budget to even get remotely close.
From my recollection of the book, isn't Rorschach supposed to be 'somewhat' threatening? Now I'm not claiming to be a tough guy, but... I could twat Simon Pegg from here to Peking. And back. Paddy Considine or Doug Hutchison. End. Of. Fucking. Story.
I'm a little worried with Keanu talking. Everything else, shaved head, all blue, you won't be able to tell it's him. I can tell you that he will have the perfect stale and wooden mannerisms for the Dr. I always imagined the Dr., through the pics in the novel, of some buff blond guy, much like a Arnold Mr. Freeze type thing. Hey, settle down nerds! Just picture it!
So unless Warner Bros. pushes Watchmen back for the winter (which they should), there just isn't enough time to CGI Dr. Manhattan and do it justice.
I always heard Fishburne's voice. Unless Reeves is just playing Osterman which could work.
Dan is supposed to be a man in his midlifecrisis. Frankly the whole cast seems a bit young.
That is all.
but I can't see it as the melancholic watchmaker Jon Osterman... I thought Gerard Butler was a lock for that part... Jude Law I can see why are they going for him, but he seems too nice to be Veidt.. I always rooted for Sean Bean for that part. For Rorschach, I've always thought that William Fichtner would be an awesome Rorschach... For the Comedian, some years ago Mel Gibson was dead on... Ron Perlman its too obvious, and I can imagine him playing it a bit like his characther of Blade II or Alien Resurrection... better not, thanks... In a bit of stunt casting I choose Jason Statham, thats a though sonofabitch.. (ok, I now he has no hair... and is way too young)...
And there's no reason for it. He's just a blue guy and maybe you should read again the report that Moriarty made last year when Greengrass was still supposed to direct. He saw a test for a DocM where they used a special body paint that when properly lit looks like a sparkling blue.
I expected more middle aged casting too, but you can't make everyone old; I'm sure they want to cover enough demographics. Patrick Wilson, not my first choice for Night Owl, but a good one. William H Macy would be a good middle aged Night Owl. Jude Law as a snobby genius billionare fits, I think. Keanu Reeves too for the blue Manhattan guy. I didn't add anything new to the discussion but I'm excited they're making this! Best graphic novel EVER.
either for Rorschach or for Dan Dreiberg... he looks too comedic to pull either part off.
They've got the technology to pull it off magnificently - it will allow them to do "Otherworldly" way better than shaving Neo and painting him blue.
 I've always maintained that I'd love to see John Cusack as Nite Owl and John C. McGinley as Rorschach (or Paddy Considine since seeing Dead Man's Shoes).
 I think Jude Law isn't comanding enough to be Adrian Veidt - I'm thinking Val Kilmer would be the man.

these characters are only partially about a "look" which is easy to achieve with makeup, wardrobe and cg (if necessary). It's all about how you play them. Is Snyder an actor's director? Not from what I've seen, but maybe he'll surprise us. Yes, Keanu's range is limited, but he can do some great things. How he played the role in Scanner Darkly was spot on. Anyway, to me, these are the three easiest roles to cast in the film. It's the others that will make or break it.
 And to whoever said it, I do NOT think that most Heroes fans know Watchmen. Many Heroes fans have never even picked up a comic book. I think it's the very vocal minority who have been screaming 'Watchmen ripoff.'
Could it be better? Sure. Here's how I break it down....JUDE LAW looks alot like Ozymandias and I believe he's quite a good actor. He's young, but than Ozymandias was sort of a character that defied age in a way. PATRICK WILSON I think will do quite fine if he gains some wieght for the scenes where OwlMan is older, also quite a good actor. As for KEANU...I think if you're EVER thinking about casting Keanu Reeves it's GOTTA be for a part in which he plays detached,naive, and a little "duh"...THAT is Doctor Manhattan. Yes, he's incredibly brilliant but his entire struggle is that he's a God among men not because of his knowledge but because he no longer understands men. I'm a fan of this casting. As for RORSACH I'd love if they cast two completely different people for his masked and unmasked roles. Those who are saying William H. Macy are thinking too literal...honestly think that Simon Pegg wouldn't be bad. Jeez, some of the casting specs you guys make...I actually saw a post with some one suggesting VIN DIESEL as Dr. Manhattan....REALLY?!?!
Holy shit, I wish I came up with that... too bad hell will freeze over before that happens...
Make it so.
I just need to focus on the Matrix Keanu and not the Johnny Nemonic Keanu.
In a perfect world, Daniel Day Lewis would act the shit out of this character and carry this project to the place we all want. Andy Sirkis is a good call...I've thought about him as well. Roarschach is all about the eyes, that blank stare, and I could see Serkis pulling that off. Third choice, how about Gary Sinese, I haven't seen him mentioned yet. He's a great actor when given the parts and the material.
You seem to have a very good knowledge of the graphic novel... "Owlman"? "Rorsach"? Simon Pegg? have you actually read Watchmen?
One of the major parts of the novel is when Rorschach's actual face is revealed. Everyone thinks he's this macho, badass, but it's revealed he's this short, ugly 'nothing'. For me that's one of the main reasons Rorschach's skin becomes his only face. Of course it fucking matters what he looks like. Did you skim read the bloody thing?
Could work better than Rorschach.
Spot on Wonderboys, and still possible today.
The only actor for Manhattan!
Keanu "I couldn't act my wooden self out of a paper bag if my Oscar depended on it" Reeves as Dr. Midnite?? Um, NOOOOOO. ANd I think there should be only one actor to play Rorschach, and that's Ewan Bremner (Red from Pearl Harbor, he is also in Black Hawk Down, and AVP) When they unmask Rorschach in the comics, I could swear that Ewan Brennen is a spitting image of him, and he can pull off the psychotichness that Rorschach requires very well. Harry, if you are reading this, and if you have any influence on Zach Snyder's casting, tell him to cast Ewan Bremner. Just go to this link here and tell me you don't think he is a spitting image of Rorschach unmasked from the comics. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001971/
This guy just delievered the baddest ass comic movie ever in 300 (yeah I said it)...have a little faith, nerds. In response to your anticipated fanboy rage, I say: 'THIS...IS...SPARTA'...and kick you in a pit (slo mo of course).
I must admit I've never heard of Patrick Wilson and I've not seen any of his stuff, so I'll hold off judgement on that one. Jude Law is a good choice. He's actually perfect. Good actor, right look for the part, somewhat big name (but not too big). If Tom Cruise is cast then you just know that Ozy is going to play some big part towards the end. You need to forget about him and Law is forgettable. He's played some good suppoting roles in AI and Road to Perdition. I like the choice. Keanu is not the best choice, but I don't think the worst either. Snyder must be in some kind of struggle with the studio over casting. Lets hope that the 'studio' choices are Reeves and Law and we'll get some really bold choices for some of the other more important roles. Keanu certainly didn't ruin the original Martrix...in fact he was pretty good in it. So when given the right role he does a decent job.
He's got the perfect look for the older version, but making him look young enough for the flashbacks would be a challenge. Then again, did anyone think Uma Thurmam could do a college flashback in Kill Bill?
Lets give the guy a f'n chance. 300 was pretty damn awesome. Snyder won't f around. right????
If you haven't seen Little Buddha, the scenes w/Keanu as Siddhartha are beautiful, and show he can look otherworldly, meditative, etc. Youtube has a clip that shows him meditative (though not as otherworldly as he appears in the rest of the film). Check him out at 2:00, 2:30, 4:12-4:45 (could be taking place on mars!), and 5:50 onward. tinyurl.com/2x8egq

 Another look from the film: tinyurl.com/37yf35
The way I see it there are three damn solid choices out there for the role. 1). Micky Rourke 2). Ron Pearlman 3). Kurt Russell Any of those would work for me.
wouldn't Gary Stretch be good for the Comedian?
much clearer... use your imagination and you'll see Doc Manhatten: tinyurl.com/yompk6
more than likely going to be Gerard Butler.
Reeve's Neo and Buddha roles must have played a part in this decision. If he is playing Manhattan and not just Osterman, it'll be down to the delivery and Snyder's going to have to direct the man. It's his job after all.
...an actor's director. 'Dawn' was certainly cool, but the character arcs flattened out halfway through...and 300 was certainly gorgeous, but the performances were more 2D than the original graphic novel. Law will be fine...but I'm certainly vexed over the Keanu choice - sure, he IS a great physical actor (Matrix, Constantine, Point Break, and his Hamlet theatre run in Canada), but his emoting should be featured as part of a Ikea's discount furnishing line. Zach Snyder is NOT Paul Thomas Anderson here, kidlets...don't expect an 'Adam Sandler' surprise turn here...the chops simply aren't there on EITHER side :( (that said...my sources whisper that the budget hasn't even been APPROVED yet - casting pending - therefore, this could just be a calculated leak to gauge the degree of fan shock/approval/revulsion)
...as kid at newsstand reading Pirate comic. *** David Caruso as Rorshach. *** Need a guy willing to do full frontal nudity for Dr. Manhatten, so obviously Harvey Kietel's your go to guy. *** Years ago someone dreamcast Dan Ackroyd as Nite Owl. Would have worked... then. *** Tom Cruise cameo as guy Rorshach shoots in the guts with a grappling hook, because we'd all pay to see that. *** Any actor under 35 being considered for a major role in this film for "get the fuck out of this movie, punk ass kid". Except for kid reading Pirate comic, of course.
Doctor Manhattan=gerard butler the Comedian=clive owen Ozymandias=jude law Nite Owl=anthony edwards Rorschach=mark hamill Captain Metropolis=val kilmer Silk Spectre=evangeline lilly
Come on, Zack. You know that he'd be awesome.
This can't really be serious. Whoa?
BULLET POINT 1: The time is finally right for The Watchmen to hit the big screen. It's been 20 years since Alan Moores landmark comic changed the way the "every man" viewed comics and the impact they could have on mainstream media, as well as being fantastically written as anything on the shelves of your local bookstore.

 The comic took all the iconic superheroes and dropped them into the real world, into our world. Moore showed aging superheroes grasping for the good old times of yesteryear only to be faced with horrors that haunt the news daily, war, racism, gangs, murder - the same horrors that we still face today in 2007.

 Over the last several years comicbook heroes have burst out on the silver screen and have done extremely well: Spider man battling The Green Goblin, The X-men battle Magneto, Superman battling Lex Luther, Batman battling Ras a Ghoul, so on and so. And now, The Watchmen will come to a theater near you in 2008 to deconstruct everything that has come before it.

 BULLET POINT 2: Zach Snyder has shown he knows comics. He knows action. He knows style. To me this is half the battle. Sure he is young, but so are the kids that will be going to see this film thinking it to be the next X-men. Much like I did back in 1987 when I picked up issue 1 of the comic thinking it was the next Outsiders or Justice League.

 BULLET POINT 3: I'm not concerned with who plays who in the film. They are all actors and get paid good money to act. If the director does his job well ANYONE can pull off the role of Dr. Manhattan, or Night Owl. Don't forget, the story of The Watchmen has already been told by Alan Moore. His story will always be THE story regardless if Keanu takes the role or not.

 I for one can't wait to sit back in a nice cool theater some summer day in 2008 with a huge smile on my face and watch a story I love come to life.

 cheers
If Macy is holding the billboard then that'll totally ruin in. I hope nyder is reading this.
Does Hollywood have to ruin EVERY Alan Moore series? Although I'm looking forward to them getting around to "Lost Girls".
So it is easier to age a young actor than make an older actor look young.
has No One suggested Steve Buscemi for Rorschach yet? And Give the guy who suggested Stacy Keach as the Comedian a goddamn prize! woooo!
Would be the perfect Nite Owl IMO
Totally agree with MrSpeed. Simon Pegg would be a perfect Rorschach!
nuff said
nuff said
Hehehe just kidding...
Balding, sexually sinister man-waif plays all conquering Randian gymnast Ubermensch? Really?
They both have a lot of range.
Jude Law should not be getting work. I hate that guy, he stinks in pretty much everything. The one thing I remember liking him in was the Talented Mr Ripley, but that was before I knew who he was, and before I knew he was just playing himself. He's a bad choice for Ozymandias, who needs to convey INTELLIGENCE and BRAWN. Jude Law is not exactly muscular or smart, and I can't recall a role where he convinced me he was either. Keanu Reeves is possibly the most obvious choice for Manhattan that anyone could come up with. It reminds me of the casting for Beast (Kelsey Grammar has played smart guys before! Let's cast him!) or of fanboys suggesting Crispin Glover for Joker. It's too damn obvious to put up with while you're watching the movie. If you ask me they can cast pretty much anyone for the flashbacks when he's Jon Osterman (it would help if they looked like Manhattan is drawn, acting isn't even really important they have about two scenes that they need to be in.) and then you just need a voice for what is inevitable going to be a motion capture performance. Howbout Peter Weller's voice over a Doug Jones (obvious, I know, but I can only think of two of these guys) performance? I haven't seen Little Children and don't know Patrick Wilson from anything. But it seems like he's probably too young and good looking for Nite Owl. They need someone like Tim Robbins, Bill Pullman, Michael Douglas, etc. Someone that maybe looks like they used to be a superhero but now they're kind of a schlub. As for Rorschach, I say go with an unknown or a character actor. No one more famous that Gary Sinise. Dylan Baker would be a good bet, so would Brad Dourif. The Comedian can be played by any badass around, you can literally name 200 actors that would be great in that role. I'm stuck on Ozymandias and Laurie, can't think of anyone. But I'd love to see Adam West as Nite Owl I, playing it serious of course.
Fake alien invasion??
Tough to pull off.
...for repeating what I posted about a young actor playing an old person and vice versa. Way to regurgitate.
too bad you dont like jude, alot of of people do.i dont care much for keanu but i guess he could be alright here.with some extra muscle.GEORGE BUSH FOR RORSCACH!
just cover keanu in a lot of blue paint so you cant see his lack of changing expression.hope we dont get to see his blue balls though.
Hot Fuzz proved that to me.
...or Keanu painted in blue or with a glowy aura?
Hate.Keanu.Reeves.So.Much. He's the thinking man's Ben Affleck. I think Hugo Weaving would be a good Doc. Manhattan. Simon Pegg as Rorschach is genius.
Vincent D'Onofrio. Smart and detached.
He'll act that role better than any other cocksucker around!!!! And how about Guy Pierce for Ozymandias.. dye the hair and bulk him up a bit and you have Mr Veidt. Granted, I would have loved to see Cruise in the role but Pierce would be inspired...
Rorschach: Charles Fleischer http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0281486/ Night Owl: Randy Quaid Comedian: Stacy Keech Dr. Manhattan: Ozi: John Tesh (just kidding-but think about it)
He's freaking perfect.
Was, is, and will continue to be his entire career.
You can't capture this in film, I love movies but I think this is a bad move, it's too big. This material is untouchable. All us geeks would bitch and cry anyway if it was made.
John Cusack should be Nightowl!!!! This I thought was a no brainer!!! AHHHHH!!! Please!!!!! Oh, I guess not.. zzzzzzzzz
nolan on Bats,300,Watchmen,Wanted,30 days off night,Tintin,Wolvie?,Magneto?,and the quality is improving too. Plus the pirated copies are soo cheap.
I can grow a moustache or shave my head and I am tall. I'm wating by the phone. No reasonable offer refused.
Whoa! He looks just like a guy from an asylum!!!
come on people have some sense about this casting! He already wants to do it. he said so in an interview awhile back. Make it so!
Those 2 should play The Comedian and Rorschach hands down,both looks exactly like those characters and I really hope Manhattans face is CGI'D becuase Keanu Reeves in blue paint doesnt seem right.
Rodriguez is working with writers Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, who are developing an original adventure for Barbarella. Purvis and Wade co-wrote "Casino Royale" and recently finished work on the next installment in the James Bond franchise, which has a working title of "Bond 22." "Dino De Laurentiis came to me and said, 'Barbarella' is a world where you are completely free to unleash all your fantasies, creativity and imagination -- where the possibilities are limitless,"' Rodriguez said. "I love this iconic character and all that she represents, and I'm truly excited by the challenge of inviting a new audience into her universe." "Barbarella is the ultimate science-fiction adventure heroine: smart, strong and sexy," said Dino De Laurentiis. "In our vision, the future is female, and I can't wait to introduce Barbarella to a new generation of moviegoers."
The guy from Little Children is a good actor, he was in Angels in America as well I believe. But the owl was pretty fat and nerdy. This guy is pretty ripped and studly. But I think he can play it. I always thought Tom Selleck would be a good Comedian just on looks alone but that's not enough and wouldn't give the film credibility. Viggo Mortensen for Rorschach and why not Hugh Jackman for Dr. Manhattan. He was bald in the Fountain and has the physique.
The (Jude) Law is mandatory. A bald Keanu? Well, ok, "black hair and black coat" Constantine kind of worked. But the watchmaker (Sylar? cough cough), Jon Osterman, looks more like the other guy (which guy? ANY other guy! Hehehe). Gerard Butler as the Comedian? This is "comedian gold", man. Eddie Blake to Silkspectre2: "I AAAAAM YOUR FAAAAAAAATHEEER!!!!!". Ahem, actually, I dig the choice, the Comedian´s black eyemask will look just great on his MAD-AND-VERY-INTENSE eyes. About this Patrick fella, well, the sad fact is, all the other good choices are too old now. And THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU FUCK A PROJECT SO MUCH TIME IN THE ASS, DUDE... Now, gotta update that old manip from five years ago, damn... http://tinyurl.com/ywbv9e
... Hellbazer adaptation and have Keanau play a blonde bastard ex-punk rocker British guy with a wicked sense of humor, it could be... oh... never mind.
Patrick Wilson is in his 30's, bad choice for someone whose going through a middle age crisis. In fact, most (if not all) the heroes are in their are between their mid 40's and 50's (with exception for Laurie, who is likely to be in her 30's). To have young guns playing these beloved characters wouldn't be right in my opinion. anyways, Alfred Molina looks more like Night Owl and he would be a better actor for the part ta boot
for the first time, it's very fresh. Wow, what a great work, by the way.

Jude Law might work well, but he better get buff and they need to get his hair right.

I don't know Patrick Wilson from Adam...checking IMDB...oh, yeah, he's perfect. Great choice.

As for Keanu, it's funny, while I was reading the book, I had sort of cast each part, but I continual got stuck on Dr. Manhattan. I never once considered Reeves, but I think he's a very good choice. As Mori pointed out, he does have that "oddness" about him, and based on some key performances of his, especially as Siddhartha in "Little Buddha," I think he'll surprise a lot of the doubters. Good choice.

I was thinking maybe Aaron Eckhart for Veidt. Rorschach--funny someone else said John C. McGinley, I thought either him or Woody Harrelson. Comedian is Bruce Willis or Kurt Russell. I don't know about the women. I think you can go any way with them, because they all seemed cut from the same cloth. Capt. Metropolis could be George Clooney or Eckhart or Hugh Jackman (because there is a law, just passed in the USA, that states that Hugh Jackman must be in every comic book film, or at least discussed for each one in development).

Shirpa LeBoueffe can be Hollis at age 12, and I want Will Smith's kid as Bernard reading Tales of the Black Freighter.

Patrick Wilson is an incredible actor, even though I think he's too young looking for Nite Owl, but I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt. Jude Law is also too you, but does fit well, so I'll go for that. Even though Tom Cruise (who sucks) really would have been a great social commentary casting. But Keanu?!?!?! Ominous?!?!?! All knowing?!?!? Not a chance!!! Billy Zane would have been creepier and cooler. These characters should be in their late forties- early fifties, with mel gibson as the comedian, (does anyone else see this???), ian holmes as moloch, Catherine Zeta-Jones or Jennifer Connelly as the Silk Spectre. Hope they cast an awesome unknown as Rorschach. This movie has to be incredible.
should be none other than Ron Perlman. He'd be an awesome Comedian. Nuff said,
Is called marijuana, 'round these parts. See also: Mary-Jane, pot, weed, ganja and Gramma Betty's secret ingredient.
Keep in mind that Watchmen's ending was basically taken from an old Outer Limits episode. Which they at least acknowledged in Issue #12, but it's not like they invented it... For Rorschach, Debra Winger. Check her out in "Made in Heaven" (1987).
Rorshach will only be done justice by Doug Hutchison. I led the charge years ago, and others have picked up the ball and run with it, and Doug was brought into this and is actively pursuing the role, last I heard. He's perfect. This is his role. I want to see this happen.
Because now this film just might get the budget it needs. Even know I certainly didn't think 300 was anywhere near where the hype placed it, it's for the greater good.
end of story.
Keanu is not mature enough as an actor to play Manhattan - he always comes across as a near void. Get someone with gravitas who seems intelligent. Kilmer would actually probably be extremely interesting although I prefer Kilmer for Ozy. They don't all have to come across as a bunch of pretty boys, either. Cast some men, now.
I thought Tom Cruise as Ozymandias, though unlikely, would be interesting. He certainly has the ego. To WIN in the end would be doubly, satisfyingly frustrating to the viewer.
and told him that he is a movie god.
Painted blue and waved around for 100 minutes...
The guy has sheer presence when he needs it, and can also be believable as a scary dude who could fuck you up when he plays it up. But at the same time he can easily pull off the near-anonymous "everyman" and blend into the crowd, and while relatively well known he's not famous enough so as to be completely obvious to first timers if he's just kind of there milling in the background.
If you want to go with a smaller guy, then how about John Glover? Though he might be just a touch old. Mind you Mark Hamill and the oft mentioned David Caruso would be solid choices too, and I quite like the idea of John C McGinley (playaing against type somewhat) in the role, which could work quite well. Fact is, there's quite a few actors out there that could make interesting Rorschachs, some of the other roles, not so much.
As for the above casting, frankly Law worries me far more than Reeves, because I know that Reeves will a) put the effort in, b) take it seriously, and c) be open to being guided by the director, whereas Law has always seemed more manipulative and less dedicated in his choices to me. Plus he just doesn't sell threatening or the weight of power in my mind very convincingly. Maybe Law could pull the role off, but it's hard to be convinced by the fact at this stage. As for NightOwl, I still think Cusack would have been perfect. Oh, and Kurt Russell should be The Comedian.
Dream Casting - Alec Baldwin-Nite Owl II, Paddy Considine-Rorschach, Julianne Moore-Silk Spectre, Bruce Willis-Comedian, Paul Newman-Nite Owl I, Ozymandias-Val Kilmer, Dr Manhattan-Guy Pearce
much as i like Jude he is a bit young, soft, skinny and jaw-lacking for this role. i like Pegg for Rorschach too, since George Bush probably wont do it.
I can kinda see it....am I alone on this? hello?
he sucks in everything
People shouldnt hate on Keanu. He's a solid actor and gives his all in every role. I have full confidence he'll do his best in this role. I like that Jude Law is cast as well. Very cool news.
didnt I email you this info about 3 weeks ago?????????
That's awesome. Jude Law works, but Neo Manhattan is really cool. Nite Owl needs to be older and fatter. Alec Baldwin or Jeff Bridges. And I cannot fathom anyone wanting a name for Rorschach, he absolutely MUST be an unknown, with no picture of him unmasked released before the movie opens. Fans of the comic will be able to spot him straight away, but it'd still be awesome to just have him as the anonymous bum/doomsayer.
You know it makes sense. He does bug-eyed creepiness well, his face isn't *that* familiar to casual moviegoers (so it wouldn't spoil the surprise of his secret identity), and he's used to working under a spandex mask. What's not to like?
...he can so do this part.
that would be a neat subtitle for the film.
seriously, keanu makes me suspicious but that's something that *might* work. jude law as ozi is wroooooong wrong wrong. i think snyder is gonna fuck this thing up huge like.
why why why
Paddy Considine as Rorschnach.. No-one else comes close
That would make a shitload of dough.
Ozymandias, but too late now!
That 2 words could completely put me off ever seeing this movie. Jude Law, you're more powerful than I thought.
Though Dan Dreiberg may exhibit a certain amount of "quiet sadness," I see him a bit more clumsy and, I'll say it, pudgier than Raoul. I think Perry's time on STUDIO 60 proves that he can be both sad, funny and clumsy, especially around the women folk. Plus, Perry looks older than Wilson (who looks far too young to be a middle-aged "adventurer"). And I thought that Snyder said Gerard Butler was going to be in this one? Is that still happening?
The best casting suggestion I've ever read on here. It would be PERFECT!
chock full of shots of people stepping in puddles and match cuts. Lots of match cuts. More puddles! Buckets of thinly veiled Iraq War metaphors! And Hugh Laurie! And somebody drip some Clooney in there somewhere. And don't forget that story within a story that was so captivating!
You know it would be 8 kinds of great. Rorschach has to be an unknown. It needs to be at least a bit of a shock when they rip his mask off mid beat-down. This Keanu thing has me a bit down, but hopefully Snyder can pull something good out of it.
is a fucking casting genius.
...Rorschach, and we don't even know who it's gonna be yet. The good news is it's obviously gonna be someone good. The casting is great so far, and that includes Gerard Butler who I think we can pencil in as the Comedian. I have it on good authority that Rorschach carries this movie. Maybe Brad Pitt will join the cast after all?
Wormtongue, Doc Cochrane, Chucky...he could pull it off.
I'm not even fucking joking. He's even got his own robe. Gerard Butler for Rorschach. Don't like Keanu for Dr. Manhattan. Jude Law seems like a good choice. You need someone who in real life would be likeable and good looking. The last person you would suspect. Not too familiar with Patrick Wilson, so I don't know.
Night Owl (Dan)= John Cusack (PERFECT--he can be physically imposing, but NAILS that unsure-of-himself-but-ultimately-capable characteristic that defines Night Owl. Also we can believe he's smart enough to make all those gadgets, down-to-earth enough to be appealing, AND he looks like him!) The Comedian= Mel Gibson (Tough as nails? Crass? Unpopular political views and not afraid to share his opinion no matter what? Dark, haunted past? BINGO.) Ozymandias= Jude Law (I'm sorry, he's just perfect in every way for this role.) Doctor Manhattan= Russell Crowe (originally I considered him for The Comedian, but picture him as Doc Manhattan--ok so the face is not close at all, but cold? Detached? Obsessed? Supersmart? It also gives him a chance to play against type for once) Rorschach= Simon Pegg (looks the part, a really good actor, and you will find NO ONE more committed to the role) Silk Specter (Sally)= Ashley Judd (beautiful, complicated, and able to be a super hero. Absolutely.) Silk Specter (Laurie)= Diane Lane (could be Ashley's mom, sexy older woman, and she'd probably love to stretch as a frumpy used-to-be sexpot) Night Owl (Hollis)= Rutger Hauer (he was a scrapper back in the day--but they'd have to 'young him up' a little for the flashbacks) At LEAST John Cusack as Night Owl, though. He is PERFECT.
this movie sucks. Just reading who there offering parts to is frightening.
Seriously. Your average moviegoer has no idea what the hell the Watchmen is. The story is talky and slow and not fun at all. Sure it was fresh twenty years ago but now the book seems pretentious and obvious.
that's all
Aaron Eckhart= Ozymandias,& again,STACY KEACH= THE COMEDIAN.
I'm sorry, but Dr. Manhattan was a genius BEFORE his accident. I simply can't buy Keanu Reeves as a genius scientist. No way. No how.
 Doc Manhattan needs to be a lot more brainy and plain. Keanu is always Keanu, no matter who he's playing, it's always shades of Ted "Theodore" Logan.
...=Steve Buscemi! The Comedian... Christopher Walken, bulk him up a little and have him grow a sleazy 70's porn star 'stache.
...Bruce Campbell should play every role. Even the women. I've never even read Watchmen, but I don't see how this could possibly fail.
Holy shit, I think you're right! Bruce would be great as the comedian. For some reason I also think DeNiro, Keitel, or maybe even Michael Madsen might do well too.
his mask off. Why is everyone trying to cast someone older unless they don't want the voice to match the actor? Personally, it would work best if it was a somewhat famous actor who could change their voice to sound older. That would throw people off - casting an unknown will not shock anyone.
not the kind of person who would inspire the confidence of the entire world. It needs someone else, it just makes me think they don't get the character except for superficially. Same with the Keanu casting. Looks over ability to channel the character's main traits.
But come the fuck on...Stacy Keach IS The mother fucking Comedian.
Jude Law? WTF? Ozymandias is BIG, buff, and all-American looking. BLOND. Hello, casting clue phone... And Keanu? WHAT? And as some have said. Middle-aged is the very point. These are supposed to be heroes in decline. William Macy would be good as Rorschach or Dan. Stacy Keach as the Comedian is awesome. There should be NO pretty boys in this movie. Ozym. could be handsome, but not pretty. And every actor should be at least 40. I've no idea what these people are thinking. Another great property ruined. Does Moore have any control on this one? Probably not.
Maybe Eric Bana would be good for Manhattan? He has very soulful eyes and as we saw in Hulk can play a cold fish.
What about Saffron Burrows for Silk Spectre? She is a great actress and very sexy. Her daughter can be played by Romola Garai who is an excellent actress as well.
Spectres. Just seconding my previous nom. I am a genuis!
But I am a genius! I don't have a problem with the guy they have playing Nite Owl. He is the one character who is better off being an unknown since he is the reluctant hero of the story.
and again Jackie Earl Haley = RORSCHACH
in spite of himself. They need to cast a well-liked actor and have him play a real @$$hole. Campbell is too old, but I don't think other than his looks he's strong enough to play the character. Could actually be a really good turn for Jackman to play against type.
Canary for a Green Arrow film.
I'd like to see Tim Roth play Rorschach. That would just be sweet. And, to me, Jude Law is a good pick for Ozymandias. He can certainly project an "I'm better than you...and the rest of the world" attitude.
follow him, not just have an air of superiority or elitism. He has to convey trust and authority generally and then turn suspicious and elitist when confronted. That Jude Law could do the first part which is the MAIN FUNCTION of the character is somewhat less believeable in my opinion - he comes across as a giggolo. Personally, I think Val Kilmer is ideal for this part as he can play both likeable/charming and psycho.
Think about it...you know it could work...inspired casting. It will never happen of course, but he'd be brilliant.
You know it's true!
Eddie Izzard ==> Nite Owl

Anyone remember the super old rumor (maybe from back in the "Terry Gilliam directing Watchmen" day) that Schwarzeneggar was gonna be Dr. Manhatten?

And speaking of Arnold, how about Arnold Vosloo (from the Mummy) as Dr. Manhatten? Yeah yeah, the roles've been cast. Still...
Sam Jackson himself ==> Dr. Manhattan; or Shaq. Wait... what's that? They cast him already? As Rorshach you say? Oh, you mean they cast Dr Manhattan. Oh ok. Got it. I'll shut up now.
Sounds a bit ridiculous, kind of like Keanu Reeves: Physicist and Super Genius.
May 22, 2007, 3:44 p.m. CST
Lindsay Lohan: "I'm gonna do some coke..."
by Vitiumconatusimbibespermaequinus
And fly to New York to fuck Ozymandias!"

Now, if he'll just leave her to freeze to death in Antarctica...
I applaud Zack Snyder for choosing Jude Law. Patrick Wilson is a great actor as well. But I just don't understand how Keanu Reeves could do a convincing Dr. Manhattan. This is not the Matrix but a humanised version of Superheores, for which one would need good actors. I would propose Eric Bana as Dr. Manhattan (remember Chopper? Bana could puff such a transformation off). And Barry Pepper is obviously the best suited actor to play Rorschach. Furthermore: Michelle Monaghan as Silk Spectre, Ian Mcshane as the Comedian and Mark Ruffalo as Nite Owl. Anyway, more about my Watchmen dreamcast here: http://noctos.wordpress.com/2007/05/22/my-watchmen-dreamcast/
Worst. Talkbacker. Name. Ever.
C'mon, no one does crazy psycho better than Michael Madsen! This is a no brainer casting choice.
...that Snyder does this justice. Comparing what everyone expects from "Watchmen" against what he did with "300"...I'm just not feeling it. Of course, casting is always key and some of these names have promise. But I remain skeptical for the timebeing.
Ok, fuck all ya'll Keanu is going to be the shit in this role. If you don't believe me go watch A Scanner Darkly again (his best acting to date). Perfect part for him, and I wouldn't have thought of it in a million years, so hats off to that outside the box creative casting. Jude's a slam dunk, and I'm so excited to see what Patrick does with this role (and I really do hope he puts on the pounds). With this calibre of actors almost on board, I really hope this film isn't trashy like Snyder's previous work (if you didn't think 300 was kinda trashy, you're frankly rather dense). This is supposed to be an emotional story, and these look like the actors to pull that off. Oh, and someone mentioned Damion Lewis for Rorshach, and I have never agreed with anything in a talkback more!! I'm still kinda nervous about this one, but I hope it KICKS THE SHIT OUT OF HEROES.
He's a terrible choice. Gos, what a terrible actor. How about Vin Deisel as the comedian. Give me a freakin break. Madsens a good call though. He plays a quality bad ass.
A scary horror clown: it's soooo original!
That would be more realistic.
anybody? anybody? Btw Reeves looks really freaky bald...
It's the only way this movie'll get made.
You know it to be true
Reading is good.
Watchmen In Name Only!
is a really great fucking idea...good call CarbonGhost! Seriously, that would be the most epic geek-casting ever...and Hamill would do a great job to boot. I'm sure he's a fan of the material as well. I hope someone somehow gets this idea to Snyder cuz that would be the shit right there.
As Rorschach. Or in fact, anyone who can seem really benign and harmless until he gets going with the beating.
Why should Rorscach be an unknown actor? never announce the casting of Rorscach. announce the casting of walter kovacs. the geek community will know who kovacs is, the non geek community wont. hell, i figure a lot of them will take (for arguments sake) David Caruso, the guy holding the sign and being near all the crime scenes as the murderer that Rorscach is hunting.
Back when I first read Watchmen a couple of years ago, I remember wishing that Keanu would be Dr. Manhattan if they ever made a film. He does "detached" very well.
He could be a better Doc Manhattan than Keanu. And he has a far better body too.
you know i'm right.
I hope the guy in the bar who gets his fingers broken by Rorschach is played by Dustin Diamond, his fingers actually are broken, and he is uncredited in the film. And kicked in the balls. For real.
Are we all just confused, here? Keanu Reeves is set to start filming in the "Night Watch" formerly named "The Night Watchman" which is based on novel by James Ellroy. The movie's name was changed "to probably to avoid confusion with Warner Brothers upcoming adaptation of the Alan Moore graphic novel," according to Richard in Movies at The Movie Biz. However, "Night Watch" is also the first title in the series of Russian novels-turned-films rumored to be slated for an American remake - it's also the title of at least one novel by Terry Pratchett novel as well as an Ewan McGregor horror-thriller, which was itself a remake of a Danish film also known by the same name. Thoroughly confused yet?
Keanu Reeks? A one-note actor playing the most complex being on the planet? I'm ready to go Rorschach on the casting director.
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