From Rorschach to Ozymandias: Uncovering the Most Epic Trivia from Watchmen

"Watchmen" is a 2009 superhero film directed by Zack Snyder (Rebel Moon) and based on the comic book series of the same name by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. Set in an alternate version of 1985, where superheroes are a part of everyday life, the film follows a group of retired superheroes who are brought together to investigate the murder of one of their own. The film explores themes of power, corruption, mortality, and the nature of humanity.

Here's some production trivia about Zaxk Synder's Watchmen

1. All of the U.S. flags in the film have 51 stars, because in the film's alternate history, Vietnam became the 51st state after America won the Vietnam War.
2. Jackie Earle Haley was the only one of the main actors who was already familiar with the comic book. He actively campaigned for the part of Rorschach.Although Jackie Earle Haley has a black belt in Kenpo, he chose not to draw on those skills in his fight scenes, as he felt that Rorschach would have fought in a scrappier, less disciplined style.
3. Zack Snyder found casting for The Comedian to be a difficult process, as the character is gruff and grizzled. Most of the actors he met with he felt were too groomed. Jeffrey Dean Morgan was very grumpy during his meeting with Snyder, something that appealed to him a great deal.
4. When offered the role of Adrian Veidt, Matthew Goode had never read the graphic novel. He called a friend who had and asked if he should even bother to read the script. Not only did the friend say yes, he insisted that Goode immediately read the graphic novel and accept the role without question. Later, after he read both the script and the novel, Goode admitted his friend was right to advise him take the role without delay.
5. The first trailer for the film, which premiered with The Dark Knight (2008) sparked so much interest that it sent the graphic novel back onto the bestseller list.
6. As Rorschach breaks into The Comedian's apartment using his grapple gun, he heads straight to the closet where he discovers a hidden cache of weapons and equipment. In a brief moment, the camera shows a picture of Laurie (Silk Spectre II), Sally Jupiter's daughter, hinting that The Comedian may actually be her father.
7. The first official image from Zack Snyder - a test shot of Rorshach holding The Comedian's button - was actually hidden in a trailer for Snyder's previous film, 300 (2006).
8. During the opening credits, the original Nite Owl stops a mugging. There are Batman comic book covers and Fleidermaus posters hanging on the wall of the alley.
9. When Patrick Wilson was offered the role of Dan Dreiberg, he called one of his best friends who is a huge comic book fan, and asked him what he knew about the Watchmen comic. He told Patrick that if he was ever to do a superhero movie that this was the one to do.
10. The symbol Dr. Manhattan inscribes on his forehead depicts the Bohr model of a hydrogen atom.
11. Traditionally, CGI characters such as Doctor Manhattan would require two shoots for every scene in which the character appears. Instead, Billy Crudup simultaneously provided Manhattan's placeholder and motion capture on set.
12. While writing the graphic novel, Alan Moore discovered that his intended ending had a remarkable similarity to the television episode "The Outer Limits: The Architects of Fear" (1963). Sally Jupiter can be seen watching the series on television in the film.
13. A copy of the graphic novel "Watchmen" is visible on Dan's desk as he and Laurie first make love. A copy of the same book is also seen on the bottom shelf of Hollis Mason's bookshelf when he is being beaten up by the Knot Tops.
14. The Palette of Narmer, an ancient Egyptian work of art, is visible on the mantle above Veidt's cabinets when Rorschach and Nite Owl II are investigating Pyramid International at Veidt Enterprises. The palette recounts the rise to power of King Narmer, who, after much violence, united the Upper and Lower Kingdoms of Egypt under one ruler, similar to Ozymandias' plan to unify the divided nations of the world against a common enemy by globally committing acts of violence in framing Dr. Manhattan.
15. The old news vendor and the young African American male who reads comic books about pirate ships (The Black Freighter) at his stand are both named Bernard. They serve as a "Greek chorus" representing the common man in the graphic novel, and are killed by Veidt's attack in the end.
16. The song played during the sex scene between Night Owl II and Silk Spectre II is "Hallelujah" by Leonard Cohen.
    
    
    
17. Delivery trucks with the Pyramid Transnational logo appear throughout the film, including outside The Comedian's high rise, driving by the Gunga Diner, and in the background as Rorschach watches Dan and Laurie leave the diner.
18. When the gunman enters Adrian Veidt's building, just before the elevator opens, the arrow glows purple, which is the symbol of the Pyramid Company.
19. A copy of the graphic novel "Watchmen" can clearly be seen on Dan's desk as he and Laurie first make love. Malin Akerman has confirmed its presence in public comments. At around 2hr 10mins of the two-disc director's cut, a copy of the same book is on the bottom shelf of Hollis Mason's bookshelf when he is being beaten up by the Knot Tops.
20. Near the end of the graphic novel, a newspaper headline can be seen: "R.R. Runs for President." Though we are led to think R.R. is Ronald Reagan, the initials turn out, a few pages later, to stand for Robert Redford. The film simply changes the reference to Reagan, with no mention of Redford.
21. When Laurie and Dan are having dinner, Walter Kovacs (Roshach) walks past in the background with his mask removed. He appears like  this several times in the film.
22. The soldiers who carry The Comedian's coffin to its grave site all wear the black and white beret flash of the 5th Special Forces Group which, given The Comedian's service in Vietnam, seems likely, since it was one of the most visible, and highly decorated units, of that war.
23. As Adrian Veidt (Ozymandias) is speaking with the captains of industry, and they move into the lobby area, a Muzak version of Tears for Fears "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" can be heard playing.
24. The original draft by Sam Hamm features a vastly different vision than that depicted in the final film:
• Veidt's plan to change the world involves traveling back in time and assassinating Jon Osterman before he becomes Doctor Manhattan.
• Doctor Manhattan subsequently kills Veidt instead of letting him live.
• Rorschach drenches the child rapist in cow blood and meat and lets him be fed to his own dogs.
• Doctor Manhattan destroys himself in the past before Jon is transformed into Doctor Manhattan, causing a rift in time and space.
• Laurie, Dan, and Rorschach are sucked into an alternate dimension and discover a world where they are characters in a hit comic book serial, and decide to pick up fighting crime again.
25. Jeffrey Dean Morgan initially turned down the role of Edward Morgan Blake after reading the first three pages of the script, assuming the character was only a cameo.
26. The Cydonia Face on Mars appears in a close-up during Dr. Manhattan's recitation about the lack of life on Mars.
27. One of the inkblots that appears during Rorschach's examination appears twice during his final confrontation with Dr. Manhattan.
28. The sign visible in Karnak reading '(S)ub (Q)uantum (U)nified (I)ntrinsic Field (D)evice' forms the word SQUID when read top to bottom. The Squid ending of the graphic novel was perhaps infamoulsy removed for the film.The generator emits tentacle-like energy emanations upon going off, referencing the original ending of the comic series which centered on Veidt's creation of a cloned squid-like creature to attack New York City.
29. Richard Nixon's address to the world at the end of the movie is strikingly similar to George W. Bush's response to the September 11th attacks.
30. The song that plays during The Comedian's funeral, the 1965 overdubbed version of Simon & Garfunkel's "The Sound of Silence," has often been associated with the John F. Kennedy assassination.
31. In the opening credits, we see the retirement party for Sally Jupiter, which is a reference to the Last Supper painting.

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