Despite a heartfelt plea from writer David Hayter begging fanboys to see Watchmen twice (lest it flop and Hollywood "never allow a film like this to be made again"), the movie earned just $18.1 million over the past three days, a drop of 67 percent from its unspectacular $55.2 million debut last weekend. Presumably felled by crappy reviews and the fact that the original graphic novel's fan base alone wasn't enough to make it a hit, it may struggle to recoup the $200 million it cost to make and advertise. Does this mean Zack Snyder really did kill the comic-book movie? And, way more importantly, will Hollywood ever green-light another film featuring a huge blue wang?

Exposed penises have traditionally come up short at the box office — none of the movies tagged "male full frontal nudity" on IMDb were blockbusters — though history shows a definite upward trend in their maximum earning potential: Harvey Keitel's unencumbered peen in Bad Lieutenant was only worth $2 million in 1992; Bruce Willis's in The Color of Night made a limp $19.7 million in 1994; but Mark Wahlberg's prosthetic Boogie Nights doodle took in $26.4 in 1997; Wild Things, starring Kevin Bacon Jr., scored $30 million in 1998; and last year, Jason Segel's floppy member catapulted Forgetting Sarah Marshall to $63 million.*

But now, even though Dr. Manhattan's glowing cerulean wiener looks set to break the $100 million ceiling in a formerly dong-averse America, Watchmen will still probably be remembered as a dud. So, naturally, studios will likely be reluctant to finance another Alan Moore adaptation, ensemble superhero movie, or bleak, R-rated actioner whose success hinges on its ability to please fanboys — but will the film's perceived failure also undo all that our trailblazing pantsless thespians have worked so hard for over the years? Will Hollywood ever again take a chance on completely pointless male nudity?

If there's anyone with a right to be more disappointed than Zack Snyder this morning, it's definitely Viggo Mortensen.

'Witch Mountain' races to top spot at box office [AP]

Earlier: So Is Watchmen a Hit or Not?
Behold, Dr. Manhattan’s Wang!
Dr. Manhattan’s ‘Giant Blue Wiener’ Gets ‘Glowing’ Reviews
Will Watchmen’s Mediocre Box Office Have an Effect on Terminator Salvation’s Proposed R Rating?

*Numbers not adjusted for inflation.