Briefly: Back in November it was rumoured that AMC was actively working on a pilot based on Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon’s Vertigo comic book, Preacher. It was also rumoured that This Is The End duo Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg were tapped to write the pilot.
Today, AMC confirmed everything. The series is in the works, and Rogen and Goldberg are attached. Breaking Bad producer Sam Caitlin will act as show runner.
In case you need a refresher, “Preacher follows Reverend Jesse Custer, a tough Texas preacher who has lost his faith, has learned that God has left Heaven and abandoned His responsibilities. He finds himself the only person capable of tracking God down, demanding answers, and making Him answer for His dereliction of duty. Accompanying Jesse on his journey is his former girlfriend and a friendly vampire who seems to prefer a pint in the pub to the blood of the innocent. On his tail is one of the most iconic bad guys in print – an immortal, unstoppable killing machine named the Saint of Killers – a western lone gunman archetype whose sole purpose is to hunt and kill Jesse.”
Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg said, “This is amazing! We’ve tried for seven years to work on Preacher and we’re so psyched AMC is finally letting us. It is our favorite comic of all time, and we’re going to do everything we can to do it right. Humperdoo!”
Series creator Garth Ennis added “Steve Dillon and I are very happy to see Preacher being developed for TV, which seems a much more natural home for the story than a 2-hour movie. Between them, Sony TV and AMC have brought viewers two of my favorite shows with Breaking Bad and Mad Men, and it’s exactly that kind of creative commitment and courage that Preacher needs. Obviously it’s taken a while, but Ken Levin along with Neal Moritz and his team refused to give up, long after the point when I myself grew skeptical, and their unrelenting enthusiasm for the project has gotten us where we need to be. I’m particularly impressed that Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg and Sam Catlin understand Preacher fully — meaning they get it for what it is, not some vague approximation. All in all, it looks like Preacher can now be brought to TV in a way that I’d previously not have thought possible, and I very much appreciate that Steve and I have been included in the conversation in the way that we have.”
The comic book series ran from 1995-2000, and was one of the very first series that I read from start to finish (while, of course, loving every second of it). As such, I am so, so, so excited to see the property finally leave development hell, and end up on the small screen (instead of the big one).
Are you excited for the series? Who would you like to see play Jesse? Sound out below!
