Exclusive First Look at 'Watchmen'

We were on set of the upcoming screen version of the Alan Moore classic -- and bring you early scoop.

The news that Zack Snyder was going to tackle the epic comic universe of Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' 'Watchmen' brought excitement and trepidation to the fanboy world. Snyder's the guy whose vision guided '300' to unexpected blockbuster status, after all, but '300' is no 'Watchmen' -- that is, an iconic, revered graphic novel that brings to life an intricately written alternate reality of superheroes, crime and Doomsday.

''If you filmed everything, it would be a five-hour movie,'' Snyder told us. But have no fear, ''It follows the structure really closely. We flip through it to try to find out where we are. It's super close, I think.''

Shortly before Halloween '07, when we visited, the costumes had just arrived on set, Zack was filming Rorschach's bloody prison scenes, Laurie and Dan (the second Silk Spectre and Nite Owl) were storming the jail in full force, and it was clear that this wasn't your everyday hero movie.

There was a palpable excitement -- from the eager gleam in Snyder's eye, to the chatter of the men behind the scenes. Unlike the digitally created world of '300,' there were real-world sets for 'Watchmen' on its Vancouver soundstage. The Gunga Diner, nestled on a New York street in the making, was slowly coming together with plywood. Nite Owl's ship hovered in the air, its two large eyes gleaming while it waited to be finished. Dr. Manhattan's lab loomed powerfully, just waiting for the blue hero to conduct experiments.

Topped off with actors who really become their roles, 'Watchmen' looks simply irresistible from every angle. Jackie Earle Haley has become a solid, lean mass of muscle to play Rorschach. Jeffrey Dean Morgan becomes tough and slimy in the Comedian's gear. Even Patrick Wilson, who might seem too slight to play Dan Dreiberg, becomes a different person as Nite Owl. His cap comes off, his posture straightens, and he's suddenly a man of power, ripping through prison inmates.

But this is only a teaser. Stay tuned for more close to 'Watchmen''s big screen bow in 2009.

--Reporting by Monika Bartyzel