Who watches the Watchmen?  How about, lawyers, movie studios, and judges.

Big news this past week in the court shenanigans surrounding the release of the upcoming Watchmen movie.  For those new to what’s going on, let me see if I can explain.  Fox movies had the right to distribute the movie and were supposed to be gone to first by movie producer Larry Gordon when a movie was eventually made.  He didn’t and instead went to Warner Bros.  Fox decided to sue.  Make sense?

The surprising news comes that there’s been a ruling at all.  It was expected that Warner Bros. and Fox would settle out of court before the January 20 trial date.  After initially saying the situation was too complicated, Judge Gary Allen Feess reveresed course and issued a clear and decisive ruling in favor of Fox.  Judge Fees has ruled that Gordon never properly presented Fox with the right to distribute the movie and Fox’s interest was never bought by Gordon or Warner Bros. upholding copyright law and protecting studios.

A lawsuit was brought by Fox after production was wrapped by director Zac Snyder.  Fox lawyers did contact Warner Bros.  prior to production in an attempt to resolve to situation.

Fear from fans involves Fox’s involvement in previous geek passion projects such as The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Daredevil, Elektra, The Day The Earth Stood Still, X-Men, X-Men 3, I, Robot, and Fantastic Four. All of these movies have been attacked by fanboys as being too commercial and sucking the soul out of the original properties.  Only X-Men 2 was really praised by comic fans.  The outrage by fans who having been waiting for a Watchmen movie has extended to other Fox properties such as talk of a boycott of the upcoming Wolverine movie.

The question remains whether the movie will make it’s March release date and if the rights revert back to and Fox gains control of the movie, will it be released in the current 2 hour and 30 minute form?  Or will Zac Snyder’s vision be neutered for a more commercial mass-audience friendly release?

Time will only tell as this court drama plays out and the geeks watch the courts and lawyers.