Warner Bros. wanted ‘Watchmen’ opening removed, according to writer David Hayter

The “Watchmen” opening credits sequence that showcases the fall and rise of the Minuteman is a very important arc in the comics. Not only does it build the world, but it sets the stage for events to come.

Back in the day, when Zack Snyder was helming “Watchmen,” Warner Bros. thought of removing the opening credits scene from the script deeming it to be very complex.

On the “Script Apart” podcast, writer David Hayter discusses how he was surprised when Zack Snyder erased the history segments from the script and re-created the entire movie without them.

“That sequence was entirely conceived and executed by Zack Snyder,” Hayter said. “I don’t Know how it was done. I wasn’t around when they made that sequence. I talked to Alex Tse who was on the set when they did it and he said that the studio, Warners kept saying ‘why are we paying for this crazy complex opening sequence like.. this is crazy!’ and apparently Zack said to Alex, ‘take it out of the script, I know what I want to shoot. So we’ll just do it anyway.’”

David Hayter, whose original “Watchmen” script is said to be praised by Alan Moore for being the closest to his original comic series, describes the opening sequence of Watchmen as “the greatest opening in any film ever.”

“He just tossed off the most incredibly complex title sequence in history,” Hayter said. “He re-created Kennedy assassination among hundred other things and it wasn’t even in the script! I don’t even know how he did it. Like that’s a miracle to me. I just… I’ve never even asked Zack. I can’t wrap my head around. Well frankly, I’m as stunned than anybody… I’m more stunned than anybody because I’ve never heard of not putting something that complex in the script.”

That certainly does seem like a conversation that would’ve happened between Warner Bros. and Zack Snyder, considering how they wanted the “Flash into the Speed of Force” scene removed from the film, deeming it to be too complex. The very scene is now recognized by The Academy as an Oscar winning scene for the fan-voted most cheer-worthy moment.