Sam Mendes To Direct Preacher Film?

[Robo Ape]

'Sam Mendes has been tapped to direct a Preacher movie for Columbia Pictures.

The property, based on Garth Ennis' and Steve Dillon's Vertigo comics series, had been in development in the past year as a television series at HBO with Mark Steven Johnson, the writer/director of Ghost Rider and Daredevil. But the project fell through.

Now, it will be developed as a feature film. Original Films' Neal Moritz is producing with Kickstart Prods.' Jason Netter; the pair are also developing Ennis' The Boys at Columbia.

Netter has developed numerous comic-book properties, including last summer's Wanted movie and the upcoming Wolverine and the X-Men animated series on Nicktoons.

"We have wanted to adapt Preacher for a long time," Netter told The Continuum. "We are so excited to be working with Sam Mendes and Neal Moritz on this film. The fans can be assured that Garth and Steve's genius property is in great hands."

Mendes, 43, won an Academy Award for 1999's American Beauty. He also directed the comics-inspired The Road to Perdition."

Link (http://www.comicscontinuum.com/stories/0810/29/index.htm).

[Legato]

I liked Road to Perdition but Preacher seems like the kind of movie that would be better as a Trilogy as Mendes has alot of material to adapt from the comic.

A shame about the series falling through as I think a Preacher series would have been a better way to adapt the comic.

[jesse_custer]

The series failing was a blessing. I am not ready for another shitfest by Mark Steven Johnson.

Sam Mendes would be a definite improvement.

[Kaos]

Look forward to seeing this. Enjoyed the series quite a bit.

[The Xenos]

Wow. Sam Mendes. Surely sounds like a step up from Johnson.

[Legato]

Wow. Sam Mendes. Surely sounds like a step up from Johnson.

From Elektra to Road to Pertition it sure as hell is a step in the right direction.

[2-4-5_Trioxin]

Yeah I saw it here today http://www.bloody-disgusting.com/news/14133


Personally I hate the idea of a movie and really hope its not turned into one. Now before you string me up for saying that, here is why I say that.

1- It would have to be severly censored for a mass theatrical release which would in turn ruin the film since the adult content is what is part of what makes it so charming. Censoring it would ruin the story and characters. The violence and depravity is as much a part of the story as the people are. This is one of the very rare times I would say violence and sex actually help the story. Yeah sure it could be uncensored on dvd or whatever but thats not the point, besides if they didnt add any new material in all the uncensored stuff would equal about 50 minutes worth of showable material.

2- It would have to be like 4 hours long to fit all the material in. Cutting out stuff would hurt the story and characters since all the misfortunes and good things that happen are what make the characters more likeable or detestable, even the little guy who screws dead meat is important to the story. The whole thing with its small nuances read over the series is what helps draw you in and appreciate everything that much more.

3- I dont think it would do well financially enough for anyone to invest what needs to be invested in it to do the project properly or even make it 2 films. Sure us hardcore fans really want to see it but most people dont. The general public wouldnt get it, all they would see is the cursing, the violence and so on, the whole point of the story and the relationship you build with the characters would be lost on them. People (at large) want something thats easily digestible in 90 minute segments.

4- The whole theme of god turning his back on man and the quest jessie takes to kill god will piss off more people than you imagine. Especially if they kept in the original ending [SPOILER!!!!!] then the saint of killers, a man who was used by god and cast aside will kill him. I dont think that will sit well with the christians at all. All the relgious zealots out there will be running around in a tizzy because of this. People will not be able to handle the god hating and god condemning overtones, I know some will say sure they can, but they wont. People as individuals are smart but in groups they are insane and stupid, especially large religious groups. They have no sense of reasoning as a whole (sorry wasnt making fun of anyone who is religious, just illustrating a point).

5- The story, content and such will be altered for a movie. You can not (to me atleast) make preacher any better, you can only make it worse by tinkering with it. Time constraints, ratings constratins, studio execs, movies run time, producers, writers, director and all these other facts will change the movie and personally you cant change it for the better.

At any rate, I would rather see this not get made now because its potential for failure is huge. Id rather not see it, than see it made and just crash and burn and thereby ruining any other chances of it being done right. Its just a big and complex thing thats to much to digest in movie format really. The HBO series is still the only viable option in my mind, it was perfect. The total freedom of being on HBO, the episodic content where everything has room to be in it and not hampered by trying to censor it down to a R rating for theaters.

[StoneGold]

See, I'm thinking that there's actually a ton of material that can be trimmed from Preacher. Or rather, that a screenplay can be created based on Preacher, rather than lavishly adapted from. Ever read Road to Perdition? The movie deviates from the GN quite a bit, but no one bashes the movie for not following the book. Likewise, History of Violence takes a severe left turn about a third of the way through, but most people prefer the movie to the book.

[Legato]

Since thare is a possibility of the movie being greenlighted who do you think should play as Saint of Killers?

This movie better have an R Rating.

[StoneGold]

Since thare is a possibility of the movie being greenlighted who do you think should play as Saint of Killers?

This movie better have an R Rating.

Sam Mendes has directed four movies. All four have an R rating.

[Wannabe]

The series failing was a blessing. I am not ready for another shitfest by Mark Steven Johnson.

Sam Mendes would be a definite improvement.
What he said. While I would prefer them to make a series, I'd definitely prefer a good film to a shitty show.

[schwamp]

Hopefully, the film will tell a great story with engaging characters. There are a ton of smaller stories within Preacher that would be worth making into a movie. I'm not sure it has to tell the entire Preacher story from front to back to be good. There is bound to be deviation from what we know of the characters and printed stories, but it is fertile ground from which to cull "a" Preacher story that will do the franchise justice.


...also, s'bout fuckin' time they got on this one. Preacher is one of the all time great Vertigo products. I hope it's worth the wait.

[Jared]

Since thare is a possibility of the movie being greenlighted who do you think should play as Saint of Killers?


I believe Ennis was inspired by Unforgiven so Clint Eastwood would be ideal, buy that that's highly unlikely to happen.

I say Sam Elliot or Ron Pearlman.


I also think a premium-cable series (albeit not with Johsnon) is a better fit for the material than a movie. They'll have to cut and change so much just to get the movie greenlit, much less released with an R-rating, that it won't be Preacher anymore. And I say this as someone who thinks the source material could have actually been better of Ennis had shown a bit more restraint at times, to focus on his often great characterization and plotting.

[Legato]

I believe Ennis was inspired by Unforgiven so Clint Eastwood would be ideal, buy that that's highly unlikely to happen.

I say Sam Elliot or Ron Pearlman.


I also think a premium-cable series (albeit not with Johsnon) is a better fit for the material than a movie. They'll have to cut and change so much just to get the movie greenlit, much less released with an R-rating, that it won't be Preacher anymore. And I say this as someone who thinks the source material could have actually been better of Ennis had shown a bit more restraint at times, to focus on his often great characterization and plotting.

Have you seen Eastwood currently? No make up or special effects in the world would make him young enough to play as The Saint of Killers,

Im so-so when it comes to Elliot, he has had experience playing a cowboy but not sure when it comes to someone as dark and gritty as The Saint. Pearlman would be a nice choice.

[Jared]

Have you seen Eastwood currently? No make up or special effects in the world would make him young enough to play as The Saint of Killers,


Would it matter how old he looks? He's Clint f'ng Eastwood! The Saint certainly doesn't look like a young man, a few extra decades of grizzle wouldn't hurt the character's presentation. Of course, it's all a moot point. I doubt there's any way Eastwood would do it, especially not for a multi-film commitment.

[Legato]

Would it matter how old he looks? He's Clint f'ng Eastwood! The Saint certainly doesn't look like a young man, a few extra decades of grizzle wouldn't hurt the character's presentation. Of course, it's all a moot point. I doubt there's any way Eastwood would do it, especially not for a multi-film commitment.

I suppose with a nice stunt men Eastwood would work, Harrison Ford seems way past his prime to do Indy but he did alright.

[Robo Ape]

I think this would have to be at least three films as I don't think you could fit all the story in one film with losing quite a bit.

[suttercain]

Personally I hate the idea of a movie and really hope its not turned into one. Now before you string me up for saying that, here is why I say that.

I agree. Comic book movies are usually for the people to lazy to read.

Since thare is a possibility of the movie being greenlighted who do you think should play as Saint of Killers?


If this gets made I think Tommy lee Jones could pull it off. They'd have to make him appear taller though.

[ultramandingo]

..........mark steven johnson dosnt get to screw up a nother funny book movie - there is a god
.............until jesse kills him that is

[jessecuster3]

Whatever. This is never going to happen.

[Robo Ape]

Whatever. This is never going to happen.

They kept saying that about the Watchmen film too.

[P-Man]

Well it probably won't happen, I won't go so far as to say "never".

I just finished Preacher last week, finally bought the last two volumes, and I think it can work as a movie. The series really got weak the longer it went, but there's no reason a good screenplay can't be written.

[Alex]

Yeah, i like Sam Elliot for the saint.
He just has to make sure he talks with a gravely voice and scowls a lot.