Fans Protest Over Studio Interference in Watchmen and Wolverine

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THERE has been widespread condemnation of 20th Century Fox – and even a threatened boycott of the studio’s films – following its attempts to block the release of Watchmen and its alleged interference in the Wolverine production.

Fox this week said it was seeking an injunction to stop the release of Warner Bros superhero movie Watchmen next March because it says it owns the rights. A judge this week denied a WB move to get the lawsuit thrown out, saying Fox might well have aclaim on Watchmen.

The anger among superhero fans online has been intense, largely because Fox chose to wait until WB had just finished filming Watchmen before beginning its legal assault by filing its claim back in February.

With Watchmen shaping up to be a stunning superhero movie – judging from the trailer, stills and reviews of early screenings – superhero enthusiasts are furious that the film might never be released.

On top of that, there have been reports of Fox "micro-managing" its own X-Men Origins: Wolverine movie, due out next May. It has been claimed that Fox co-chairman and CEO Tom Rothman ordered the repainting of a film set in brighter tones while directorGavin Hood was away for a short time, with Hood being stunned by the change when he returned to the production.

Many believe Hugh Jackman will face some tough questions on Wolverine when promoting his upcoming Fox epic in Australia.

Fans are now demanding quality film-making, especially when Warner Bros’ blockbuster The Dark Knight proves that a superhero comicbook can be transformed into a widely-acclaimed, record- breaking movie without resorting to being a cheesy parody.

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