http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20011026/en/film-watchmen_1.html

Friday October 26 3:53 AM ET

Universal puts ``X-Men'' scribe on ``Watch''

By Michael Fleming

NEW YORK (Variety) - David Hayter, who has become one of Hollywood's preeminent writers of macho superhero fare -- beginning with his sole screen credit on ``X-Men,'' has signed a seven-figure deal at Universal to adapt DC Comics' ``The Watchmen,'' with an eye toward directing the film.

The comic series was originally published in 12 parts in 1986, and became a cult favorite that was eventually re-released in graphic novel form.

The story begins in the 1950s, when a seemingly ordinary guy puts on a mask and superhero costume and starts kicking criminal tail. He's joined by others who take on the same pursuit, until a law is passed that forces them to hang up their capes. The film's storyline begins with the mysterious murder of a couple of the former crimefighters.

``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, 'The Watchmen' has a very high and intense level of character development,'' Hayter said. ``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.''

Hayter is now working with director Bryan Singer in finalizing the ``X-Men'' sequel script at Fox, and has since written on such Universal franchise fare as ``The Hulk,'' ``The Scorpion King'' and ``The Chronicles of Riddick,'' the latter of which is the ``Pitch Black'' sequel.

Hayter's also in the homestretch on a pilot script for ``Lost in Oz,'' a primetime WB series based on the series of novels by L. Frank Baum, remembered for penning books that became the basis for ``The Wizard of Oz.''

Reuters/Variety REUTERS

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