HBO is developing a one-hour series based on the popular 1990s Vertigo comics series, Preacher.
Mark Steven Johnson (upcoming Ghost Rider, Daredevil) is writing the pilot, while Howard Deutch is attached to direct. Johnson and Deutch will executive produce along with Michael De Luca, George Agusto, Chris Bender and JC Spink.
Preacher, which ran from 1995-2000, told the story of a down-and-out Texas preacher possessed by Genesis, a supernatural entity conceived by the unnatural coupling of an angel and a demon. Given immense powers, the preacher teamed with an old girlfriend and a hard-drinking Irish vampire and set out on a journey across America to find God -- who apparently had abandoned his duties in heaven -- and hold him accountable for his negligence.
The series was created by Irish-born writer Garth Ennis and British artist Steve Dillon, who will serve as co-executive producers. Ken F. Levin, who represents the duo, also will serve as co-executive producer.
There have been several attempts to bring the comic to the screen, whether big or small, but nothing stuck, says the trade. A movie version, to have been produced by Kevin Smith's View Askew, among others, got to the casting stage, with James Marsden attached.

Avec le réalisateur de Daredevil au scénario...

Micheal Rymer à réalisé la mini-série Galactica. Je dis ca comme ça hein. Ca ne veut pas dire grand chose peut-être ou seulement qu'un tacheron au ciné peut se révéler meilleurs dans un autre média. Aprés il faut voir qui le seconde.

Ce qui en ressort c'est que Johnson est hors du coup. C'est déja pas mal.

Garth Ennis's Preacher was special enough to hook me for a while in the late 90s, and it was cinematic enough in the telling to make me wonder if it might work as a film or mini-series in the hands of a talented, resourceful director. Unfortunately, the filmmakers who've been attached to the property over the years (e.g. Rachel Talalay and Howard Deutch) have been some of the very worst in the history of medium.

Deutch was the first director of choice for HBO and Mark Steven Johnson, who will executive produce the entire series and write the pilot. That's bad news until you consider that the Daredevil and Ghost Rider auteur has stated over and over that he will strive for a Zack Snyder-ian faithfulness with his adaptation. This means the success of the series will most likely be contingent on casting and directing. Though there's been no movement on the former, the search for the latter has heated up over the last week: first, we heard about Robert Rodriguez being courted. Some expressed doubt over this, but a friend of mine who's in position to know these things confirmed the story. What's more, he dropped this tidbit: they're looking for a big name director to make a splash with the pilot, after which they'll rotate other talented directors into the mix. And wait 'til you get a load of some of the names they're chasing.

When I heard Brian De Palma was in the running, I quit worrying about Mark Steven Johnson altogether. When I heard David Cronenberg was also in the running, I wondered if I was being jerked around. But it makes sense: Benderspink, which is producing Preacher, just worked with Cronenberg a few years ago on A History of Violence. That film was a critical and commercial success for both parties. Other directors being circled include Danny Boyle, Alex Proyas, Juan Carlos Fresnadillo and, as previously mentioned, Rodriguez.

It's important to note that, while HBO is very serious about Preacher all of a sudden, the project is still in the discussion stage. That said, I can tell you for a fact that if there is a groundswell of interest online, the long shot odds of a De Palma or a Cronenberg directing the pilot of Preacher will improve dramatically. If you want a quality Preacher, now's the time to speak up. HBO is paying attention.
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