Video: “Watchmen” at Comic-Con 2008

"That seems like... a crazy idea," "300" director Zack Snyder said upon being offered the...

“That seems like… a crazy idea,” “300″ director Zack Snyder said upon being offered the adaptation of “Watchmen,” Alan Moore’s revered graphic novel that’s defied all earlier attempts to be brought to the big screen. “Once they asked me, I kinda felt responsible — even if I said no, they would have moved on, and then whatever happened to the movie, I still would have had my chance… If the movie, for whatever reason didn’t turn out, it would have been still my fault. So I figured, might as well make it my fault anyway.”

The hotly anticipated superhero film isn’t headed to theaters until March 6, 2009, but a recently released trailer has fans chomping at the bit. At Comic-Con’s panel for the film, Snyder reassured the crowd that he’s attempted to stay as true to the graphic novel as possible, with “Watchmen” artist Dave Gibbons at his side, claiming that “It’s just the stuff of dreams, really, to have something step out of your head and become real.”

Also joining them were Billy Crudup, who plays the omniscient Dr. Manhattan and who described the challenges to figuring out “how you pretend to be the 6’4″ buffed-out master of matter while you’re a 5’9″, 40-year-old jackass playing dress-up.” Patrick Wilson, who plays Night Owl, and Carla Gugino and Malin Ackerman, who play the first and second incarnations of the Silk Spectre, additionally spoke about their characters and why “Watchmen” won’t be your average superhero movie.

Take a look at video clips from the panel below:

More from Comic-Con 2008: The “RocknRolla” panel with director Guy Ritchie and star Gerard Butler; “The Spirit” panel with Frank Miller and Samuel L. Jackson; the panel for “The Wolf Man” with award-winning make-up artist Rick Baker and stars Benicio Del Toro and Emily Blunt.