David Hayter, the screenwriter on Watchmen, has posted an open letter to fans asking them to see the film again this weekend. Here is an excerpt:
So look, this is a note to the fanboys and fangirls. The true believers. Dedicated for life.
If the film made you think. Or argue with your friends. If it inspired a debate about the nature of man, or vigilante justice, or the horror of Nixon abolishing term limits. If you laughed at Bowie hanging with Adrian at Studio 54, or the Silhouette kissing that nurse.
Please go see the movie again next weekend.
You have to understand, everyone is watching to see how the film will do in its second week. If you care about movies that have a brain, or balls, (and this film’s got both, literally), or true adaptations — And if you’re thinking of seeing it again anyway, please go back this weekend, Friday or Saturday night. Demonstrate the power of the fans, because it’ll help let the people who pay for these movies know what we’d like to see. Because if it drops off the radar after the first weekend, they will never allow a film like this to be made again.
I think Hayter is exagerating his case. First, the movie wasn’t nearly as good as he is making it sound and with Iron Man and The Dark Knight having been so successful last year (in part because they were far superior films), I think it is safe to say that we will see more films like it made in the future.