‘Preacher’ TV Series: AMC Officially Moving Forward With Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg!
Some months ago, we heard rumblings that AMC was gearing up for a 'Preacher' TV drama, based on the iconic comic series, under the surprising umbrella of 'Superbad' team Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. Now, the network officially confirmed 'Preacher' for the development slate, placing the sinful series on track to be the next 'Walking Dead.'
"This is amazing," said Rogen and Goldberg of the news, with AMC specifying that the pair will executive produce and write the pilot draft. "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!” So reads AMC's official description for the proposed 'Preacher' TV series:
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.
The original 'Preacher' emerged from the minds of Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon in a 1990s comic series, which itself has been optioned for various adaptations many times over the years. Sam Catlin ('Breaking Bad') will serve as executive producer and showrunner for the new series. And as if that weren't enough, check out what Ennis himself had to say of the news:
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.
It's still early in the development stage, but fans of the series have long been waiting for this day. Tell us what you want to see from AMC's forthcoming 'Preacher' TV series in the comments, including your casting picks for the role!