Patrick Wilson has high praise for Zack Snyder's Watchmen and believes it paved the way for The Avengers. Watchmen premiered in 2009 and was based on the DC Comics series of the same name. The film explores an alternate history where superheroes emerged between 1939 and 1977 and changed the course of the United States. When the lives of all superheroes are threatened, a team of morally ambiguous vigilantes set out to confront it. While fans of the source material were divided over the quality of Watchmen, Wilson is fully convinced of the film's groundbreaking nature.In an interview with ReelBlend, Wilson opens up about his perspective on the legacy of Watchmen.

He has nothing but praise for Snyder's film, itting it is one of the few films he has been in that he felt the need to rewatch. Wilson then explains why he believes Watchmen helped pave the way for The Avengers, stating:

Watchmen is the only movie of mine that I have watched front to back since a premiere. That movie's awesome. I wanted to share it with my son. I also probably wanted to fast-forward the scene with me and Malin [Akerman] in the ship. I needed to stay close by. No, I wanted to look at it as an older guy, as a filmmaker. I knew Zack [Snyder] was kind of, he was ahead of the curve. You know, it's weird to say that audiences weren't ready for it, but you need a movie like that. You need movies to go so dark that then Avengers can go so light. I do believe in that. But yeah, I love that movie. I'd love to do that movie now. I would, honestly, I think that'd be so awesome to just do it now.

How Watchmen Changed Superhero Movie History

Watchmen was one of the earlier modern superhero films. It premiered before the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) was created and when the MCU was in its earliest stage. Today, its inspiration can be seen in both the MCU and DCEU. It might be difficult to think that such a dark and gritty film that examined the ugly side of heroes and society would impact films like Aquaman and Ant-Man. However, Watchmen actually played a big role in inspiring the DCEU.

For one, the film highlighted how well comic books could be brought to life and the unique subjects that they could tackle. It no doubt played a role in Warner Bros. choosing Snyder to direct Man of Steel and jumpstart the DCEU. Meanwhile, the DCEU has been built around some of Watchmen's themes, particularly its flawed heroes. Films like Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Suicide Squad, and Birds of Prey delve into anti-heroes and the blurring of the lines between good and evil. They come right back to Watchmen's central themes about morality, humanity's corruption, and the complexity of right vs. wrong.

While Watchmen directly paved the way for the DCEU, its influence can also be seen in the MCU. Gritty takes on humanity and heroes like Watchmen and The Boys are intriguing, but it's normal to watch these films and to want to counter them with something more lighthearted and hopeful. Additionally, the influence of Watchmen's commentary on humanity can also be glimpsed in Marvel projects, including the franchise's most recent TV series, Secret Invasion. Watchmen changed superhero movie history by providing a unique take on superheroes and helping inspire and clear the path for the DCEU and MCU.

Source: ReelBlend/Twitter