David "X-MEN" Hayter is waiting for Universal to green light his script adaptation of DC Comics' "WATCHMEN".
The comic book was originally published in 12 parts in 1986, and re-released in a graphic novel format.
Premise of the story begins in the 1950s with an ordinary man who dons a super-hero mask and costume to fight crime his way.
"Just the way we tried to make the characters in "X-MEN" real and show that their superpowers were a curse as much as a gift, "WATCHMEN" has a very high and intense level of character development", says Hayter.
"The series deconstructed the superhero mystique and took a literate look at the comic book genre. It goes way beyond the standard hero and villain stuff and has the makings of a richly developed mystery ...its certainly not easy. It's a very complex story, very dense, very literate ..."
In the universe of "WATCHMEN" events take place in an 'alternate reality' in which costumed vigilantes prowl cities, Richard Nixon is still president and America won the Vietnam War with the help of 'Dr. Manhattan'.
The story begins with the murder of one erstwhile vigilante, the 'Comedian', and expands to reveal a conspiracy that threatens the end of the world.
"WATCHMEN" is moving along now," says Hayter. "We are developing the script and awaiting the green light."
