Other places are suddenly reporting it, so I might as well confirm the news: I’m writing a big-screen version of Preacher,
To answer your first four questions: there’s no release date, no cast, no locations, no nothing. I’m writing a script which could become a movie if everything lines up correctly. So here’s hoping. It’s a terrific project that I’m excited to be writing.
This site is run by screenwriter John August. Mostly, he answers reader-submitted questions about the craft, but occasionally he goes on tangents that run far afield of writing and filmmaking. You'll also find info on past, present and future projects.
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January 21st, 2009 at 5:56 pm
Wow! Great to hear. I’ve been waiting a long time to see Preacher turned into a movie or mini-seris. I don’t think I could imagine a better combo. You writing, Mendes Directing. I’m speechless, it should be awesome. Here’s to hoping indeed.
January 21st, 2009 at 6:16 pm
Very nice. I’m somewhat new to this place, but I’ve found your posts informative and entertaining. Glad to see there might be a chance of Preacher coming to the big screen.
January 21st, 2009 at 6:22 pm
Recently, I bought a copy of Volume 1 of preacher at an airport bookstore. That weekend I went to Meltdown and bought the next 8 volumes. A few nights ago, I finished Volume 3, and it just gets better and better.
Congratulations, and I can’t imagine the pressure you’ll get to make everything perfect.
January 21st, 2009 at 7:10 pm
Wow, that’s some pretty great news. I’ll be looking forward to it.
January 21st, 2009 at 7:15 pm
WOW. Congratulations! That is the best gig in comic book adaptations, bar none. Hope it goes all the way, just cause I can’t wait to see it.
January 21st, 2009 at 7:20 pm
There is no pressure-free project but since I think I’ve read a previous draft of this a year or so ago, I tell you this is such very good news for the producers. (Unless this is another Preacher project based on a Preacher comic book, and that would have to be a movie-coincidence, and yet it could happen) No offense to the previous script, but it seemed lacking by a whole lot. Congrats and break a leg (or a keyboard key, whatever it may be)
January 21st, 2009 at 7:31 pm
I couldn’t be happier about this. I’m really glad this story is in the hands of someone I actually respect. Good luck! (And don’t skimp out on the ending!)
January 21st, 2009 at 7:36 pm
Congrats John, this should be both big and good. No offense to Shazam! but I was excited by the prospect of you dipping a toe into a more mature comic movie (this idea was only reinforced by The Remnents pilot). Preacher should be just that. Not to geek out too much, but I have always found a kind of comic (think graphic novel, not funny… but also funny) sensibility in some of your dialogue, so I am very excited to see the result. Now just get the rights to The Walking Dead and make write that puppy so I can die a happy man.
January 21st, 2009 at 7:46 pm
Sounds great, but you better get it right.
Don’t pussy it up. NC-17? Fine. Do it. Just get it right.
I liked the idea of the mini-series, but a long movie with all the important stuff in it would be fine I guess. Maybe two movies would be better?
And yes, like Russell Anderson said up there, don’t screw up the ending!
January 21st, 2009 at 7:55 pm
Also, if The Remnents didn’t convince me, The Remnants certainly did! Yeah, I can’t spell.
January 21st, 2009 at 8:06 pm
Awesome news. I was hoping this would eventually come out. Good to know you’re involved and won’t be mucking up the story. =p
January 21st, 2009 at 8:10 pm
John,
This is really exciting news. I’m glad it’s you who is taking on this project, as I’ve enjoyed both your films and the source material. I hope this ends up working out as a positive experience for you (and me, the cinema goer).
Regards, Nate
January 21st, 2009 at 8:19 pm
never heard of the graphic novel, but best of luck nonetheless!
January 21st, 2009 at 8:28 pm
Congrats…and thanks for the terrfic site.
January 21st, 2009 at 8:38 pm
Yay! Someone needs to update Wikipedia!
January 21st, 2009 at 9:32 pm
Holy cow! This is awesome news.
I’ll echo what some others are saying. It’s exciting enough to have an adaptation come to the screen, but to have you writing the script is just extra awesome.
I trust that you’ll give this the care and seriousness that it deserves. This could very easily go ridiculous (in a bad way) in the wrong hands.
January 21st, 2009 at 10:20 pm
I’m insanely jealous. I begged my agent to pass along a treatment of mine that I penned for Ennis years ago. I’m a neurotic fan of the series and when I heard Mendes was on the hunt for a writer, I was on the hunt for Mendes. Alas, the best man wins :) Kudos, congrats and all that stuff, all my best to you and if you ever need a Preacher geek to help you research let me know :)
January 21st, 2009 at 10:54 pm
Would this be a script covering the entire storyline, or perhaps the first few volumes? It seems like an epically long tale to be told in under 3 hours.
January 22nd, 2009 at 12:13 am
Holy crap! John August + Sam Mendes + Preacher? HOLY F’IN CRAP!!!!
January 22nd, 2009 at 1:06 am
Congratulations.
January 22nd, 2009 at 1:23 am
This is great news!
John, you’ll have a lot of people tell you “Preacher” should be a lot of different things. I’ll offer only this:
I tore through all nine volumes seven years ago and the thing I remember most is how often (and how hard) I laughed.
January 22nd, 2009 at 1:32 am
Congrats. What a combo.
But please, don’t try to make it rated r. This one shurly needs NC-17 ;-)
January 22nd, 2009 at 1:32 am
Great news, although there’s still a long way to go. Btw; is this you getting typecast as a comic-adaptor (after your work on ‘Shazaam’) or do you actively seek out these assignments? And had you read the comic before it came up as a possible prospect? Good luck!
January 22nd, 2009 at 2:20 am
Congrats, John. I will look forward to both of your new projects.
This is the first time I’ve commented, so I’d like to add my thanks for your blog. Your candor and the information you provide to all of us is invaluable.
Best regards.
January 22nd, 2009 at 2:32 am
Congrats, just remember, the comics have enough story to do 5-7 seasons of a TV show, so don’t try to cram it all into one 3 hour movie. Not that you need me to tell you that.
January 22nd, 2009 at 3:58 am
This news give faith that there are still secrets in Hollywood that don’t leak out… good going… and with the Frankenweenie and Dark Shadows projects also on your plate, does this mean you are trading up to the industrial sized cafeteria styled Krups coffee pot now?
January 22nd, 2009 at 4:01 am
Well done landing that!
January 22nd, 2009 at 5:35 am
Great news! So excited that a competent writer is taking over this project.
January 22nd, 2009 at 6:27 am
John,
As a long-standing comic book nerd, and an aspiring screenwriter, I usually find myself in conversations at dinner parties like: “Who would win in a fight, Superman or the Hulk?” or “Who should write the screen adaptation of Preacher?”
I casually threw your name into the mix when recently asked that second question, because I trust your history and understanding as a geek. Nice to know the Hollywood gods were listening to me. Congrats! (Now don’t fuck it up.)
Oh, and Superman would SO take the Hulk.
January 22nd, 2009 at 6:41 am
What a challenge – great material, but there’s A LOT of it. Best of luck!
January 22nd, 2009 at 7:27 am
Sounds very promising! Hope everything goes according to plan, I’d love to see one of your screenplays directed by Sam Mendes.
January 22nd, 2009 at 8:21 am
I’m so conflicted – I think you’ll do a great job, but that’s a tough story to adapt. It’s long and detailed enough that either you lose a ton of detail by shoe-horning the entire story into one movie or you only tell a part of it and hope for sequels, but then there’s no pay-off at the end.
It doesn’t work as an ongoing series either – it’s only about one season’s worth of material, and then it’s over. Tough nut to crack!
Best of Luck!
January 22nd, 2009 at 8:36 am
Congrats on the gig.
To those insisting that it be NC-17, you guys are extremely naive if you think that decision is up to the writer.
January 22nd, 2009 at 8:49 am
Awesome John!
I am in the middle of the series now. I think I am on book 7. Loving it.
-Jim
January 22nd, 2009 at 8:51 am
Congratulations, John! May you walk through the Valley of Death with grace and deep insight, my friend.
In nomine Patris, et Fili, et Spiritu Sancti. Amen.
January 22nd, 2009 at 9:02 am
Congratulations, John. So… what do you think about “god”, “devil”, “heaven” “religion” and things like that?!
January 22nd, 2009 at 9:29 am
Congratulations! Many years ago I dreamed of adapting Preacher, it’s a great property. Are they going to try to fit the whole thing into one movie, or going to break off a chunk of it? Or tell a whole new story using more or less the same characters?
January 22nd, 2009 at 10:33 am
You lucky bastard. “Preacher” is one of my dream projects.
January 22nd, 2009 at 10:54 am
Good on you, John. I’m not a comic book person but I know Preacher is considered one of the best.
I’m sure the fate of this project will largely depend on Watchmen’s B.O. returns.
Anything you’d be willing to share about how you pitched yourself for the job and landed the assignment?
January 22nd, 2009 at 11:06 am
It’s a great project. Congrats. We’re looking to adapt Captain Stoppo for the screen but it has been a real bitch so far. Glad to see someone is moving forward.
January 22nd, 2009 at 11:30 am
It turns out Kobe Bryant is a huge fan of Preacher
http://www.tiricosuave.com/2008/08/22/fanboy-kobe-into-that-dark-shit-high-fiving/
January 22nd, 2009 at 12:19 pm
God, I hope everything lines up, this movie has to be made, esp with you writing and Sam directing.
Question: where you a fan of the graphic novels or was it something that you where approached to do out of the blue? (you of course do not have to go into details if you don’t want to/can’t).
January 22nd, 2009 at 1:00 pm
I am a HUGE fan of this comic book. I will say what others have already said elsewhere- don’t screw it up.
This is an idea better suited for a TV show (like Dexter or True Blood) rather than a movie. It, like Y The Last Man, is a deeply rich source material so I don’t see how a movie can do the story justice. Thus, you will have a lot of weight on you from us fanboys.
Please, do not make the mistake they made with translating Hellblazer to the big screen. I would love to see Robert Downey Jr. (although he’s older) in the role.
Okay, now that I got my fanboy urges out of the way, congrats.
January 22nd, 2009 at 1:31 pm
I. ENVY. YOU. JOHN. AUGUST.
Congratulations man, a screenwriter I admire and an awesome director who comes from the theatre, I pray this gets made.
January 22nd, 2009 at 2:50 pm
Hop they don’t pull the plug on this one. Again.
At least, they won’t tell you how edgier it could be… O_o
Haha!
January 22nd, 2009 at 4:41 pm
Good deal. Sounds like a quite a project.
January 22nd, 2009 at 9:14 pm
Don’t fuck it up
January 22nd, 2009 at 11:09 pm
Nice one John, big congratulations. Hope you enjoy it and keen to read anything about how things are progressing.
Answer to Mike, not very nice calling everyone naive. Of course the writer can dictate to some degree what rating a project is aiming for. I could sit down now and start writing a family comedy or I could decide to write a slasher flick with a violent rape scene. Do you not think that right at the start i am determining what rating I am going for?
Of course nobody gets to choose apart from the MPAA, but if they give an NC17 to my family comedy do you not think that perhaps I as the writer have done something wrong?
January 22nd, 2009 at 11:41 pm
Congratulations on the “Preacher” project John, sounds like a great opportunity!
I just read in today’s Hollywood Reporter that you are also gearing up with Tim Burton again to expand upon his film school short “Frankenweenie” – any details on that? You and he are able to collectively put together so much imagination (“Big Fish” comes to mind) that the potential for this project is astounding. Looking forward to hearing more about all the new gigs!
January 23rd, 2009 at 7:36 am
Congratulations ! Wish you luck on this project.
But please, be careful. Preacher is awesome, but there is a lot of “red flags” on a history like that ! Mutilation, profanity, sex between angels and demons, arseface, etc, etc.
And also, please, don´t hear the fanboys ! :-)
January 23rd, 2009 at 12:34 pm
Like everyone else. I wish I was writing this. Good luck, John!
January 23rd, 2009 at 1:21 pm
Cool! Good luck deciding what’s got to go to fit it into a 2 hour running time.
January 24th, 2009 at 4:14 am
not before i write it
January 24th, 2009 at 6:18 am
I hope you get to red this. My appreciation for PREACHER is so great that I commissioned an artist to re-produce very cover in a 4-up size painting )4 times the size of the cover of a comic).
That is all 66 issues. The posters, all Wizard covers and covers to books, like the Preacher cover book. All tolled, 89 PREACHER paintings. If you are looking for a fan for any reason, I am your man!
January 24th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
Good luck with this! I’m not a screenwriter, but I’m a fan of screenwriters!
January 24th, 2009 at 4:41 pm
I hope it’s a 12-hour movie. Preacher should have been an HBO series. Good luck on it!
January 24th, 2009 at 5:15 pm
donates Mountain Dew scented slow-burning candle to cause
Seriously, Kick Some Oscar
January 25th, 2009 at 2:59 pm
No Offense John…but screw you. It was my dream to adapt this…but good luck. If you make it crappy, I can always Nolanize it in the future. :)
January 25th, 2009 at 7:03 pm
John
I am a huge fan of the comic. You have an opportunity to make history here. The Preacher is a cult series with many, many followers. The strong religious, ethical, social message is unique. The swearing in the comic is important as is the humour. Should you tone down any of these you would not be making The Preacher, you would be doing something else, you would be writing a “Preacher a la John August with a dash of Mendez and Moritz”.
Read the whole series and the spin off’s. Check with the fans. Take your time and do the right stuff.
Please if you enjoy the comics, if you respect the fans, if you wish do a work of art, just follow the comics. Garth Ennis did a fabulous job. Check with Garth regarding the final script.
Wish you all the best.
January 26th, 2009 at 7:38 am
congrats!
January 26th, 2009 at 9:01 am
Salutations John,
I’m sure you understand the enormity of what you have in your hands. I don’t really know how you’re going to pull this off. The Preacher series is worse than Watchmen to adapt in my opinion – because you’re dealing with an arc of several years, instead of 12 issues.
Words of advice – two things:
1) Nobody is going to get this perfect. Even LOTR has it’s naysayers and continuity whiners. It’s going to be worse in it’s own way with Preacher.
2) Get the point across – don’t screw about with the soul of the story. Whether that means R, NC-17, whatever, if you pretty it down and subdue it, you’re going to loose the soul of the work – it’s an uncompromising view of God, humanity, stereotypes and ultimately friendship.
Good luck – on one hand I want to be in your shoes. On the other hand, I wouldn’t dream of it. This could be another Batman: Dark Knight…or another Captain America.
January 26th, 2009 at 12:56 pm
Am I the only one utterly sick of comic book movies?
January 26th, 2009 at 1:53 pm
I like how a lot of people are addressing John as if he’s not only the screenwriter of this project, but also the director, producer, studio head, and President of the MPAA.
January 26th, 2009 at 11:24 pm
jojo
Saying “Preacher” is a comic book is like saying “Ghost World” is a comic book. Saying “Preacher” is a comic book is nothing like saying “Iron Man” is a comic book.
January 27th, 2009 at 12:20 am
Congrats!
January 28th, 2009 at 10:21 pm
Sweet.
January 31st, 2009 at 7:37 am
You might argue it’s early days, but some pals and I mulled it over. Matthew Macaonughey – yes, i can’t spell his name – it’s a predictable choice for Preacher but he’s got that Southern drawl. I’d love to see Paddy Considine as Cassidy. And the Paddy/Irish thing isn’t a deliberate pun.
January 31st, 2009 at 2:39 pm
How about Tom Hanks ;)
February 4th, 2009 at 4:14 am
Congrats,
I concur with Wesley up there. Besides, there is not a single great film based on sequential art stories, I mean movies like LOTR. There is Sin City, but then again it is less complex than Preacher.
A faithful adaptation is impossible, but what matters is would it be a great film, at the same time being as faithful as possible to the original source.
Again Congrats.