Brian Lynch, the screenwriter behind both installments of The Secret Life of Pets, has requested that DC Comics allow him to domesticate the iconic characters of Watchmen for a Watchmen Pets film.Lynch pitched character designs for his hypothetical Watchmen Pets in a humorous thread on Twitter, asking, "Who doesn't want to see Nite Owl as a little cockatiel dressed as an owl?" His other ideas included "a blue cat living on the moon, or a Dalmatian with spots that move around all the time." The screenwriter’s cuddly Crimebusters ideas for Nite Owl, Dr. Manhattan and Rorschach just brush the surface of Watchmen’s untapped adorable potential.
The DC characters, once preciously self-contained in Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' Watchmen, have since been expanded upon in the form of prequel and sequel comics and the critically acclaimed HBO series starring Regina King. Previous adaptations of Moore's original characters include Zack Snyder’s 2009 film and DC's 12-episode Watchmen: Motion Comic.
Though Moore infamously detested DC’s expansion of his characters outside of their original context, Lynch is confident that Watchmen Pets could be the perfect project to win the often curmudgeonly British writer over. "What if this was the idea that made Alan Moore say 'yeah, Watchmen should continue, go for it, have fun'" Lynch jokingly proposed online.
If anyone could transform the dark, gritty characters of Watchmen into man’s best friend, it would be Lynch, who has made a name for himself in pet-related storytelling over the years. In addition to penning both Secret Life of Pets films, Lynch served as the screenwriter for animal-led features Hop, Puss in Boots and Big Helium Dog.
"Friendly reminder that superheroes are very popular," Lynch continued, "and that I have made two successful pet-related movies, this is a match made in heaven." To further Lynch's comedic point, animal companions have recently stolen the spotlight in MCU blockbusters, with audiences becoming instantly endeared to creatures such as Captain Marvel’s Goose and Shang-Chi’s Morris.
Not hearing back from DC Comics an hour after his initial two-line pitch, Lynch followed it up with, "maybe they DON'T like money." In an attempt to spread the word further, Lynch tacked on a tweet alerting news outlets, including CBR, to his hypothetical blockbuster pitch.
Until these Lynch-requested headlines reach the right people to open doors for Watchmen Pets at DC, his work can be seen in the upcoming Despicable Me film Minions: The Rise of Gru, arriving in theaters Summer 2022.
Source: Twitter