Brooke Bunny
“This is the End” duo Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg are working on a TV series based on the comic series “Preacher”.
The duo have teamed with “Breaking Bad” writer Sam Caitlin, and Sony Pictures Television, to complete a mission nobody’s been able to complete – get the comic series of the same name on screens. Over the years there have been umpteen movie versions that have tried but struggled to take lift.
“Preacher” writer Garth Ennis has apparently given the whole thing the thumbs up.
Here’s what Bleeding Cool has :
Moreover, Ennis reportedly believes that it is Rogen and Goldberg who have finally captured the tone which Preacher would need in order to be true to the essence of the now legendary DC/Vertigo comic series. Ennis is expected to be an active consultant if the series moves forward.
Preacher has had a long history of high profile efforts to be realized on screen, including at HBO (under current Starz Media CEO Chris Albrecht, who departed HBO before a pilot was completed), and as a Sony feature to be directed by Sam Mendes (who, after a John August screenplay, departed the project to direct the James Bond film Skyfall). Mendes recently reiterated his admiration for the Preacher coda and acknowledged that he had been unable to crack how to bring it to the big screen. In fact Mendes noted that in all likelihood, Preacher would be best suited for episodic television.
As the book series languished under option to Sony Features with no real direction after the Sam Mendes departure (director D.J. Caruso was later brought in but no new feature writer was ever engaged), producer Neal Moritz and Vivian Cannon, head of Moritz’ Original Pictures’ Television, got Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg on board to take their vision for a television series out before the Sony option window closed.
Only a handful of networks were allowed to participate, and AMC triumphed after spirited bidding just before the deadline. The result is a stunning achievement for one of the great comic properties which appeared mired in a feature film development hell, never to see light of day. The chance at a Preacher television series also marks another extraordinary success for Ken F. Levin, whose multiplatforms in entertainment include as film and television producer (The Amazing Screw-On Head; The Scribbler; Quarry); as co-founder and current creative director of the relaunched publisher 1First Comics; and as Mr. Ennis’ long time representative.
Rogen and Goldberg are currently prepping Columbia’s “The Interview”, which will star Rogen and James Franco.
