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Zack Snyder says Keanu Reeves and Tom Cruise were up for major Watchmen roles

April 20, 2024 by EJ Moreno

When Zack Snyder does an interview, the internet is gripped by what wild declaration he will make.

In the latest must-watch interview, this time with the Happy Sad Confused Podcast, Snyder dives into all things Watchmen. Taking time from promoting Rebel Moon: Part Two – The Scargiver [read our review here], the filmmaker tells us that two massive Hollywood stars were up for Watchmen.

First, he touches on originally wanting Tom Cruise for the villainous Ozymandias, but he says the actor wanted to go for the more shocking and in-your-face role of Rorschach. The filmmaker casually lets it drop in the interview: “I wanted Cruise for Ozymandias; he wanted to play Rorschach,” said Snyder.

While Snyder knows that Cruise “obviously could’ve done” the role, he was locked into Jackie Earle Haley’s now-iconic performance. He added, “I certainly would’ve considered Tom, in retrospect, if I hadn’t had Jackie.”

As he drops one bombshell, Snyder also gives life to the long-standing rumor that Keanu Reeves was up for Dr. Manhattan, though it was nothing seriously considered. “I think — my wife is a huge Keanu fan; she’s always bringing up Keanu for every role,” Snyder said. “So it makes sense to me that we probably talked about that. He’s probably a good [choice for] Dr. Manhattan, but [Billy] Crudup is insane.”

Zack Syder infamously adapted Watchmen, the Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons’ acclaimed graphic novel, in 2009. The film received mixed to positive reviews from fans and critics, didn’t make a massive impression at the box office, but has lived on as one of the vital superhero works of the modern era.

Watchmen is one of the most acclaimed comic book works, recognized in Time’s List of the 100 Best Novels. In 2012, DC published Before Watchmen, a series of nine prequel miniseries, and Doomsday Clock, a 12-issue limited series and sequel to the original Watchmen series, from 2017 to 2019, without Moore’s or Gibbons’ involvement.

SEE ALSO: Zack Snyder’s Watchmen at 15

DC is reportedly revisiting Watchmen, this time through animation with a brand-new take on the classic. Meanwhile, you can check out Snyder’s appearance on Happy Sad Confused below…

 

Filed Under: EJ Moreno, Movies, News Tagged With: DC, Keanu Reeves, Tom Cruise, Watchmen, Zack Snyder

About EJ Moreno

EJ Moreno is a film and television critic and entertainment writer who joined the pop culture website Flickering Myth in 2018 and now serves as the executive producer of Flickering Myth TV, a YouTube channel with over 27,000 subscribers. With over a decade of experience, he is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic who is also part of the Critics Choice Association and GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics.

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