Top 10 comic book characters hardest to adapt to the big screen

7. The Characters of Watchmen

The Past: Zack Snyder brought Alan Moore’s “unfilmable” graphic novel to life in 2009 to split critical response, with the opinions ranging from “too much of a page to screen adaptation, no originality” to “one of the best super hero movies of the decade.” Before that, though, a bevy of directors circled the adaptation before it was eventually handed to Snyder. Everyone from Terry Gilliam to Darren Aronofsky to Paul Greengrass was at one point involved in the project. It circled development hell for nearly two decades before finally seeing the light of day.

Why They’re So Hard to Get Right: The question still remains whether it should have seen the light of day at all. Die hards will say “no,” and that Moore’s novel, vastly considered the best comic book of all time, should remain untouched. I’m of the opinion that Snyder did a well enough job, but I agree with the accusations that it’s too similar to the comic. It lacks the originality that made the novel so unforgettable and doesn’t become its own entity. No easy feat considering the novel is so beloved by so many. Either way it’s adapted, there will always be those who just can’t see why an adaptation exists. The novel’s timelessness is any film version’s curse, not to mention the mature and complicated themes would undeniably hold it back from a large audience.

The Future: No plans are in the works for any more screen adaptations of Watchmen. I wouldn’t mind seeing something like Greengrass’ original version sometime in the future: a Watchmen set in a post 9/11-America. Most would shout “blasphemy” but think about; if Watchmen’s themes are so timeless, its characters would work beautifully in that time of terror-paranoia.