News
News on the Watchmen Chapter I and Chapter II movies. In most cases a link will accompany each headline back to the original article.
News on the DCAU originates from animation and comic book related news sites, personal staff forums or comic book conventions. Fans beware, in some cases, false news does get spread among the Internet.
Movie News
April 13, 2017: A Warner Bros. survey notes there is an upcoming R-rated Watchmen animated DTV adaptation. CBR Article
July 21, 2023: Watchmen announced for 2024. Holy Plot Media Tweet
July 21, 2023: Logo shown at Justice League: Warworld panel. Neil Vagg Tweet
July 22, 2023: Amber Avara was a storyboard artist on the movie. Amber Avara Tweet
July 22, 2023: Reportedly will be two parts. Matías Lértora Tweet
May 30, 2024: Blu-ray.com's website shows a tentative release date of August 13 for Watchmen: Chapter 1. DCAUR Tweet
June 12, 2024: It is two CGI animated movies. Chapter 1 comes out this year and Chapter 2 comes out in 2025. A trailer was shown at Annecy. Midou Tweet
June 13, 2024: 41 second teaser posted. Warner Bros. Entertainment YouTube
June 13, 2024: Amber Avara storyboarded for the movie. Amber Avara Tweet
June 13, 2024: Danica Dickison storyboarded for both movies. Dickison made a 'how to 3D in SBP video' on YouTube for the team. Danica Dickison Tweet
June 18, 2024: Chapter 1 is rated R for violent content and some graphic nudity. DCAUR Tweet
July 9, 2024: Chapter 1 poster released. Trailer releases tomorrow. Warner Bros. Entertainment Tweet
July 10, 2024: 2:14 trailer posted. Warner Bros. Entertainment YouTube
July 10, 2024: Press release. The movie is produced and adapted by J. Michael Straczynski. The digital release date is August 13 and the 4K/Blu-ray release date is August 27. Jim Krieg and Cindy Rago are producers and Dave Gibbons served as a consulting producer. Sam Register, Larry Gordon, and Lloyd Levin are executive producers. Cast includes Matthew Rhys as Dan Dreiberg.Nite Owl, Katee Sackhoff as Laurie Juspeczyk/Silk Spectre, Titus Welliver as Rorschach/Walter Kovacs), Troy Baker as Adrian Veidt/Ozymandias, Adrienne Barbeau as Sally Jupiter/Silk Spectre, Corey Burton as Captain Metropolis, Michael Cerveris as Jonathan Osterman/Dr. Manhattan, Jeffrey Combs as Edgar Jacobi/Moloch, Grey DeLisle, Kelly Hu, John Marshall Jones as Hooded Justice, Max Koch, Phil LaMarr, Yuri Lowenthal as Wally Weaver, Geoff Pierson as Hollis Mason/Nite Owl, Dwight Schultz, Jason Spisak, Kari Wahlgren as Janey Slater, and Rick D. Wasserman as Edward Blake/The Comedian. Synopsis is "Chapter 1: In an alternate world history set in 1985, the murder of a government sponsored superhero draws his outlawed colleagues out of retirement and into a mystery that threatens to upend their personal lives and the world itself." Special features are "The Art of Adaptation: Introducing the Story" and "Dave Gibons and Watchmen: Chapters I-VI". Run time is 83 minutes. Rated R. Chapter II releases later in 2024. WF Article
July 10, 2024: Jonathan Hoekstra is the art director. Brandon Vietti Tweet
July 10, 2024: J. Michael Straczynski exlains he strictly configured the structure of the comic to work in a movie. He did not add more material nor change what works in the book. JMS Tweet
July 10, 2024: J. Michael Straczynski confirms Tales of the Black Freighter is included in the movie. JMS Tweet
July 10, 2024: J. Michael Straczynski turned in both chapter's scripts in December 2021. JMS Tweet
July 12, 2024: Back covers released. Music is by Tim Kelly, edited by Cris Mertens, and casting and voice direction by Jamie Thomason. Paramount is also credited. WF Tweet
July 13, 2024: A Warner Bros. Discovery employee screening of Chapter I was held. Jonathan Hoekstra Tweet
July 20, 2024: Jerome Moore posts character designs of Doctor Manhattan and Silk Spectre. He was approached during production on season four of Young Justice. Jerome Moore deviantArt
July 20, 2024: Jerome Moore posts character designs of Doctor Manhattan. Jerome Moore deviantArt
July 23, 2024: Chapter II is rated R for bloody violence, sexuality, graphic nudity, and some violence. Screen-Connections Article
July 26, 2024: 2:54 clip with an introduction by Katee Sackhoff released. IGN YouTube
July 30, 2024: 9:49 "The Art of Adaptation" special feature released. WBE YouTube
August 1, 2024: 3:55 clip "Gunning For Masks" released. ClipZone YouTube
August 13, 2024: Very first piece of concept art posted. It was done by Kristina Vardazaryan and Jonathan Hoekstra. Jonathan Hoekstra Tweet
August 13, 2024: Interview with Brandon Vietti. Dave Gibbons' art style had hatch lines and 2D animation would strip that away. There was some testing in 2D animation in-house but it was decided 3D was the better way to go because they could create texture maps of those lines, capture the ragged edge to those inclines, overall preserve the comic book look, and use camera, lighting and the focal length of lens. The movie was animated by Studio Mir. Finding a good midpoint to end Chapter I on was difficult and some things had to be cut. Animation Magazine Article
August 13, 2024: Damon Bard posts 3D development work on Dr. Manhattan. Damon Bard instagram
August 14, 2024: Damon Bard posts more 3D development work on Dr. Manhattan. Damon Bard instagram
August 14, 2024: Katee Sackhoff comments on making self doubt, vulnerability, and pain a through line for Laurie. She used a personal experience to craft the character. ComicBook Article
August 15, 2024: Interview with Katee Sackhoff. Coming Soon Article
August 15, 2024: Interview with Katee Sackhoff, Titus Welliver, and Brandon Vietti. io9 Article
August 15, 2024: Interview with Titus Welliver. ComicBook Article
August 15, 2024: Damon Bard posts 3D development work on Walter Kovacs. Damon Bard instagram
August 16, 2024: Damon Bard posts more 3D development work on Walter Kovacs. Damon Bard instagram
August 16, 2024: Interview with Brandon Vietti. SuperHeroHype Article
August 16, 2024: Concept art of Rumrunners lighting posted. Jonathan Hoekstra Tweet
August 17, 2024: Damon Bard posts 3D development work on The Comedian. Damon Bard instagram
August 18, 2024: Damon Bard posts more 3D development work on The Comedian. Damon Bard instagram
August 18, 2024: Design process of Rorschach posted. Jonathan Hoekstra Tweet
August 18, 2024: Interviews with Titus Welliver and Katee Sackhoff. Flickering Myth YouTube
August 19, 2024: Interview with Brandon Vietti. DC Blog
August 20, 2024: Damon Bard posts 3D development work on Laurie. Damon Bard instagram
August 21, 2024: Damon Bard posts more 3D development work on Laurie. Damon Bard instagram
August 21, 2024: Interviews with Brandon Vietti, Titus Welliver, and Katee Sackhoff. Comics Beat Article
August 22, 2024: Interview with Brandon Vietti. Jonathan Hoekstra traced Rorschach's ink blots from the comic and put a reel together, it was sent to Studio Mir, timing passes were done, and the final version is essentially projected onto the model's face. Hall of Justice Episode 394
August 22, 2024: Interview with Brandon Vietti and Jonathan Hoekstra. Vinton Heuck co-directed Chapter II with Vietti. Hoekstra was hired, after his wife, as a previs development/layout artist before he applied as art director. He literally translated the micron dot into a brush tip and went overseas to help guide Studio Mir since they were doing things they never did before. To counter the 3D animation look, they used traditional media textures. The line art jittered too much in the 2D tests and became hard to track. It didn't look graceful or animated well so they went with cel-shaded 3D animation. They scanned in actual bristle board, went for realistic lighting rather than rimlight, and went with a synth score instead of the traditional superhero symphonic score to match the 1980s setting. Most voice recording was done in Zoom sessions during the pandemic. They tried to go for more realism than past animated projects like close-ups. Hoekstra admits to doing a lot of micromanaging and drawing over other's work. Heuck admits Karnac was an interesting challenge and had to figure out where everything was. Hoekstra points out Dave Gibbons did 3000 different poses of Laurie's face in the comic so he had to figure what the essense of her design was. They didn't get to talk to Gibbons during production and only spoke to him at the beginning. Vietti talks about mapping out 3D models of locations and talked about screengrabbing as much of 40th and 7th. Some changes to Karnac had to be done for the needs of the screen like the walking and talking scenes. There was also the use of SFX to consider like the ticking clock with Dr. Manhattan. The Vinton T. Heuck channel YouTube
August 22, 2024: Damon Bard posts 3D development work on Rorschach. Damon Bard instagram
August 23, 2024: Damon Bard posts more 3D development work on Rorschach. Damon Bard instagram
August 24, 2024: Damon Bard posts 3D development work on "circulatory Jon" in flashback scene. Damon Bard instagram
August 25, 2024: Damon Bard posts 3D development work on Rorschach journaling scene. Damon Bard instagram
August 26, 2024: Damon Bard posts 3D development work on Silk Spectre. Damon Bard instagram
August 27, 2024: Damon Bard posts more 3D development work on Silk Spectre. Damon Bard instagram
August 28, 2024: Tales of the Black Freighter pages shown. Francesco Francavilla Tweet
September 1, 2024: Francesco Francavilla posts concept to final art of the This Island, Earth movie poster. Francesco Francavilla Tweet
September 9, 2024: Interview with Katee Sackhoff. GVN YouTube
September 12, 2024: There will be a Making of Watchmen: Chapter 1 panel at the LightBox Expo on October 26. AS post
September 19, 2024: Early proof of concept of Rorschach breaking into Rockefeller posted. Jonathan Hoekstra Tweet
September 19, 2024: Nite Nowl's Basement design posted. Jonathan Hoekstra Tweet
October 15, 2024: Trailer for Chapter II releases tomorrow. WBHomeEnt Tweet
October 16, 2024: 2:08 trailer for Chapter II released. IGN YouTube
October 16, 2024: Chapter II releases on digital on November 26, 2024 and on physical media on December 3. Blu-ray and 4K covers revealed. It is produced and directed by Brandon Vietti from an adaptation by J. Michael Straczynski, Jim Krieg and Cindy Rago are the producers, Dave Gibbons is a consulting producer, and Sam Register, Larry Gordon and Lloyd Levin are executive producers. Cast is Matthew Rhys (Dan Dreiberg, Nite Owl), Katee Sackhoff (Laurie Juspeczyk, Silk Spectre) Titus Welliver (Rorschach, Walter Kovacs), Troy Baker (Adrian Veidt, Ozymandias), Adrienne Barbeau (Sally Jupiter, Silk Spectre), Michael Cerveris (Jonathan Osterman, Dr. Manhattan), Zehra Fazal (Hira Manish, Newscaster), Phil Fondacaro (Tom Ryan, Big Figure), Grey Griffin (Female Citizen #1, Advisor #1) John Marshall Jones (Hooded Justice), Max Koch (Bernard, President Nixon, Lawrence Andrews), Phil LaMarr (Comic Book Narrator, Bernie, Male Citizen #1), Yuri Lowenthal (Seymour, Knot Top #2, Bully #1), Long Nguyen (Attendant #1), Geoff Pierson (Hollis Mason, Prison Guard #1), Jason Spisak (Doug Roth, Bully #2, Hector Godfrey), Kari Wahlgren (Sylvia Kovacs, Female Knot Top), and Rick D. Wasserman (Edward Blake, The Comedian). Special features are "The Art of Adaptation: Building to the Final Act," "Dave Gibbons and Watchmen: Chapters 7-12" and "Designing Watchmen". Run time is 89 minutes and 17 seconds and is rated R. WF Article
October 20, 2024: 4K and Blu-ray back covers for Chapter II released. WF Tweet
October 24, 2024: Chapter I streams on Max starting on November 18. WBD Article
October 31, 2024: Brandon Vietti will present The Making of Watchmen: Chapter I at Spark Animation in Vancouver, Canada on November 3. Brandon Vietti Tweet
November 22, 2024: A crew screening was held for Chapter II on November 21 on the Warner Bros. lot. Brandon Vietti Tweet
November 25, 2024: 25 second promo for Chapter II posted. WBHE Tweet
November 26, 2024: Brandon Vietti, John Hoekstra, and Vinton Heuck discuss Chapter II. Vietti never got why everyone stayed by the monitors in Karnak and in the movie wanted to see them reunite as a team to confront Adrian. Switching Stephen Fine for Hollis Mason visiting Dan was J. Michael Straczynski's idea and it was a great father-son moment. With the budget running out, Hoekstra started doing art on his own. They had to "merge sets" and action sequences in Karnak to match the dialogue timing. The hidden smile was added onto Veidt's island to imply that was why Comedian looked at it as his airship passed by. Felt Nite Owl had to see Rorschach's death. Like in the comic, they wanted Dr. Manhattan to realize Dan and Laurie would be okay together so they had Laurie comfort Dan outside instead of sex by the pool in the comic. They tied the images of the real world and Tales of the Black Freighter so the audience could see the parallels of what was going on in Adrian's head. The 1980s feel of the comic was not done by Photoshop filters. A whole department was dedicated to duplicating it down to the dot patterns and imperfections like ink bleeds. Hoekstra spent one year and seven months total working on the movies. Vietti spent over two years. Some of Vietti's initial work was scripting with J. Michael Straczynski and early art preparation. It took a long time to crew up because there were so many productions going on at the same time like Spiderverse and What If...? Hoekstra had to hire seven character designers just to catch up on the workload. The Vinton T. Heuck channel YouTube
January 6, 2025: Chapter I is nominated for a Golden Reel Award in the Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Non-Theatrical Animation category. Deadline Article
January 9, 2025: Review and interview for Chapter II with Brandon Vietti. Hall of Justice episode 410
January 21, 2025: Chapter II streams on Max starting February 17, 2025. WBD Article
February 24, 2025: In light of news a 2 movie Blu-ray set releasing in the United Kingdom, Brandon Vietti reveals he hasn't overseen such an edit where it's a combined edit of both movies and is not aware of any plans for one. Brandon Vietti Tweet
February 28, 2025: Interview with Brandon Vietti and Katee Sackhoff at 15 minute mark of DC Studios Showcase episode 7. Max YouTube
August 21, 2025: A digital soundtrack for Chapter I and II releases digitally on August 22 online. Tracklist included. Film Music Reporter Article
