We already knew that AMC had ordered a pilot for ‘Preacher and now we’ve found out that the writing duo Seth Rogen (‘This Is the End‘, ‘Superbad’) and Evan Goldberg (‘The Watch‘, ‘Pineapple Express’) as well as Sam Catlin (‘Breaking Bad’, ‘White Oleander’) have all stepped up to work with AMC on making this project a reality. It appears that Rogen and Goldberg have signed on as both executive producers as well as scribes for the script (it’s unclear if this is for the series or just the pilot). Since they’ve both proven that they can take on a darker comedy, that could fit well here. Catlin on the other hand is on board not just as an executive producer, but as the showrunner as well. With his work on “Breaking Bad’, it really gives a lot of hope that this show can be gritty and fun at the same time.
Seems like AMC enjoyed his work with a teacher turned meth dealer enough to bring him back for another go and I’m sure we all know why that is with how successful ‘Breaking Bad’ was. On top of that, the continued success of ‘The Walking Dead‘ is an easy reason for the network to bring on another comic book adaptation.
AMC’s executive vice president of original programming had this to say on the series:
“This is a great piece of material for AMC, and we’re thrilled to begin working with the creative team behind it to make another iconic AMC series.”
The comic’s creator, Eisner Award winning Garth Ennis is also a fan of the development as he stated:
“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 two-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.”
Also on board to help with the show are Neal Moritz, Vivian Cannon, Ori Marmur, Ken Levin and Jason Netter as executive producers.
If you’re not familiar with the comic book series the show will be based on, here’s a synopsis:
Merging with a bizarre spiritual force called Genesis, Texan Preacher Jesse Custer becomes completely disillusioned with the beliefs that he had dedicated his entire life to. Now possessing the power of “the word,” an ability to make people do whatever he utters, Custer begins a violent and riotous journey across the country. Joined by his gun-toting girlfriend Tulip and the hard drinking Irish vampire Cassidy, the Preacher loses faith in both man and God as he witnesses dark atrocities and improbable calamities during his exploration of America
What do you think about the writing team’s work on bringing ‘Preacher’ to the small screen? Are you excited to have a producer from ‘Breaking Bad’ tackle the show? Share your thoughts below!
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
