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Tom Cruise as Ozymandias in Watchmen?
March 1, 2007
by Filmstalker Tom Cruise was to star in the Watchmen film according to the latest director on the project Zack Snyder. Cruise and Snyder were talking about him playing the role of Ozymandias, the perfect human being who excels at everything with his perfect physique, amazing mind, and the most famous man in the world. Sounds like a perfect match, and to be honest I wasn't surprised to hear that he was being considered for the role, after all he could carry it off. If you know the comic book and all that this character is, then you're not far off the persona of Cruise already. However the news for all Watchmen fans out there is that Cruise isn't going to be in the role. According to the comments from Snyder over at CHUD, he was interested, but now he's not. What is interesting is that Snyder is thinking so big for the Watchmen film, also that he's pushing for an R rating, and is seems that the studio will let him: "They're mad at that...They don’t want an R-rated movie, but they're cool with me. They're like, 'OK, if that’s what you think, Snyder. But it’s a bummer.'" He doesn't really say much else that we haven't heard already, and when I head him at the Q&A for 300 (Filmstalker review) he did seem like he was being asked the same Watchmen questions again and again and he just rolled out the same answers as I've read before then and since. I do think that he's got a great style and vision for the film though, and he's right to keep the whole film in the original setting of the comic. Altering it too much could damage it, although I think it could be updated to more modern times, replacing Nixon for Bush senior might be an interesting change, and keeping the Iraq war might work. However we would lose a big chunk of that feeling that came with the universal change of Nixon still being in charge and the Vietnam war still ongoing. The ideas explored in the book are more relevant now than ever, he is right on that score, and with his style and big ideas I think we could see a great Watchmen, if WB bankroll it well enough and leave him to get on with it. So are we back to Jude Law for the rumoured role? I saw some great casting suggestions on the IMDB board, Mickey Rourke as the Comedian, William H. Macy for Rorschach, Bill Pullman and Clint Eastwood as the two Nite Owl's old and new, Natasha McElhone as the young Silk Spectre. How about those casting thoughts? Who do you want for Ozymandias and Dr. Manhattan? 
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