| Started in 1986, writer Alan Moore and artist | | | | everything will be fine. He was fairly surprised |
| Dave Gibbons formulate a mystery based on the | | | | when producer Martin Poll and writer Larry Cohen |
| Cold War, wherein the threat of nuclear warfare | | | | filed a law suit against 20th Century Fox for |
| is an imminent fear. The story explores the | | | | alleged plagiarism. They claim that their script yet |
| possibility that superheroes existed in the 1940s. | | | | to be produced was copied. Indeed, the two |
| Thus, in the setting of the Watchmen graphic | | | | scripts bore many similarities, but these are |
| novel, superheroes are roughly classified into two. | | | | elements added to the film and were not in any |
| They are either working for the government, | | | | way found in Moore's comics. Due to the lawsuit, |
| donning their suits while on retainer by people's | | | | Alan Moore had to testify in a deposition. The |
| taxes, or they are outlawed. Most superheroes | | | | experience, he described, is incomparable and |
| not working for the government have decided to | | | | shockingly painful. As if the misery was not |
| embark on other productive endeavors like | | | | enough, Fox settled the case, signaling to Moore |
| business, leaving crime-fighting and | | | | that it was an admission of guilt, something he |
| costume-wearing behind. Some continue to be | | | | was very sure he has no involvement. |
| heroes, but are considered as fugitives, thanks to | | | | When "V for Vendetta" was made into a film, |
| the law that was passed outlawing superheroes. | | | | producer Joel Silver stated to the press that |
| Creator Alan Moore cannot be blamed for wanting | | | | fellow producer Larry Wachowski had talked with |
| his art to remain in the chosen medium it was | | | | Alan Moore, and that Moore was excited about |
| created. Not only due to the huge differences | | | | the project. But according to Moore, he adamantly |
| between perusing a comic book and watching a | | | | refused to be part of anything with films, and still |
| film, but undeniably also because of the harrowing | | | | wasn't interested in Hollywood. Alan Moore |
| experiences he had with his publisher and the | | | | wanted a public retraction and an apology. While |
| process of converting his work from paper to | | | | he got an apology from Silver, who appears also |
| film. Initially, he thought that separating himself | | | | been deceived by Wachowski, there never was a |
| from the process of converting his work to a | | | | public retraction. Aside from this, Moore claims |
| movie would turn out fine. Moore admits that he | | | | that the comic book was specifically about |
| was wrong about distancing himself. The latest of | | | | anarchy and fascism. Nowhere in the movie was |
| his work to be released as a movie is the | | | | these two things even seen or mentioned. Clearly, |
| Watchmen graphic novel. | | | | the adaptation of the comic book into a film |
| "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen," one of | | | | reinvents Moore's work into something totally |
| Moore's works, was adapted into film. He | | | | different, something Moore would have not |
| distanced himself, feeling that as long as he didn't | | | | created and would definitely not want to be |
| see any of the film and had nothing to do with it, | | | | credited with. |