Sam Mendes Officially Off 'Preacher'

"Preacher" has been in development hell for ages. Originally conceived as a show on HBO, a feature film adaptation of the comic series has been mulling around for some time with Sam Mendes ("American Beauty") attached to direct and John August ("The Nines") writing the screenplay.

But at the beginning of the year news hit that Sam Mendes would be directing the next James Bond film. That made me question what would happen to "Preacher," and indeed the official word is out - Mendes is no longer attached to "Preacher."

Collider spoke with producer Neil Moritz, who gave some info on the current state of the film that may be the first part in a trilogy (if the first film ever makes it into production).

“We were originally talking with Sam Mendes about doing the movie. Sam Mendes is going to go off and do the Bond movie, so there’s another director that we’re talking to right now.”

“We’ve got a great script. John August wrote a script that I think is terrific. The hardest thing was with all the books-the Preacher books-was how to distill it down. And what he made the smart decision instead of trying to cram everything into one, there’s plenty of room for 2 or 3 movies. So that’s what he’s done and he’s done a really faithful adaption but made it probably more accessible to a broader audience right now. That movie’s definitely R-rated and it’s an amazing central character.”

They then ask Moritz if August could possibly direct the film.

“You know it’s interesting you say that. I had a meeting with him recently and we started talking about directors and we were talking about some really, you know, lofty directors. And he said you know if you don’t get one of those I’d be interested in it. I said we’ll talk about it. “

Moritz also expressed hope that shooting for the film would begin next year. So hopefully a new director as well as the cast will be announced by the end of this year.

Collider's massive interview with Moritz is well worth a read as the site discusses seemingly dozens of projects with the producer - so go check it out.

"Preacher" is based on the successful mid-nineties Vertigo comic series by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon and tells the story of Reverend Jesse Custer who unwittingly becomes host to an angel-demon hybrid entity known as Genesis. Due to the entity’s split-nature of pure good and evil, Genesis is powerful enough to rival God himself. The plots follows Custer on his adventure discovering who he is and what he can do as he hunts down God who abandoned Heaven as Genesis was born. He is joined by his old girlfriend Tulip O’Hare, as well as a hard-drinking Irish vampire named Cassidy.

Who would you like to replace Sam Mendes on "Preacher"? Who would you cast as Jesse Custer, Tulip O'Hare and Cassidy?
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: UGO Movie Blog, Live for Films

Sam Mendes Directing 'Bond 23'

MGM has announced that Oscar winning British filmmaker Sam Mendes ("American Beauty") has been hired to direct the upcoming "23rd James Bond" movie.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, despite recent concerns that the production was temporarily on hold, MGM is on track to release "Bond 23" in late 2011.

This announcement was probably being held, but with the recent rumors the production had been delayed due to a possible sale of MGM it most likely meant the producers wanted to clear the air.

"Bond" regulars Neal Purvis and Robert Wade are writing, along with "Frost/Nixon" scribe Peter Morgan. Michael Wilson and Barbara Broccoli are producing. Daniel Craig will, of course, reprise his role as 007.

As far as story goes there are no details other than a quote from Morgan saying it was a "shocking story."

Mendes landing the job is a victory for "Bond" fans, but what exactly does it mean for Mendes' involvement with "Preacher"?

Certainly, if Mendes is on board and MGM is seriously eyeing a June production start, "Preacher" will not be the director's next film. Given the amount of time it takes to work on a movie, its highly unlikely that Mendes would be able to work on "Preacher" until sometime in mid to late 2011. And even that is questionable as Mendes was was talking about putting "Preacher" aside for another film anyway.

Mendes' ascension to the Bond director's seat is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it's a great move towards the quality of 007's next adventure, but on the other it's problematic for the fans of "Preacher."

What do you think about Mendes directing the next "Bond" film? Do you think he should direct "Preacher" instead?

More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: Rope of Silicon, First Showing, MTV News

Will 'Preacher' Get Delayed?

"American Beauty" director Sam Mendes, along with company partners Pippa Harris and Caro Newling, recently signed a two-year first-look deal with Focus Features. The deal with Focus (who were the distributors on Mendes’ recent flick "Away We Go") includes the acquisition of two projects that could end up being directed by Mendes. But what’s most interesting is the lack of a mention of the graphic novel adaptation "Preacher," which Mendes has already been signed on to direct.

One of projects is called "Butcher's Crossing," an epic adventure based on the 1960 revisionist Western novel by John Williams. The other is "Middlemarch," an adaptation of the George Eliot novel about changing fortunes in a provincial English community in the early 1830s.

So, what does this mean for the "Preacher" adaptation? Although there is no release date set for it yet, one would assume since Mendes was officially signed on a few months ago as director, that the project would get on its way fairly soon. But this two-year deal with Focus now commits Mendes, and that commitment does not include "Preacher."

I guess this means that the adaptation of the "Preacher" graphic novel is definitely on the backburner? Or potentially moving on to another director? Variety says that Sam "has not committed to his next film as a director." Although, it sounds like it will probably be either "Butcher's Crossing" or "Middlemarch."

If this does mean that "Preacher" has been put on the backburner, I think it’s a shame. I was looking forward to soon seeing what Mendes would do with the Preacher as his thoughts on the original comic series a few months ago certainly showed that he’s passionate about adapting it.

More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: Screen Rant, First Showing, Variety

Movie News Mash 17

PREACHER
Coming Soon had a very brief chat with Sam Mendes where it was asked how the 66-issue series (not including the specials) would be covered in one (or more) movie(s):

“Oh, he wouldn’t do the entire series in one movie. It would be impossible to do all nine volumes in one movie, that would be one long movie, and it wouldn’t do justice of it. It will not attempt to do all of it, but there’s so much wonderful stuff that I wouldn’t know what to leave out.”

"Preacher" is based on the successful mid-nineties Vertigo comic series by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon and tells the story of Reverend Jesse Custer who unwittingly becomes host to an angel-demon hybrid entity known as Genesis. Due to the entity’s split-nature of pure good and evil, Genesis is powerful enough to rival God himself. The plots follows Custer on his adventure discovering who he is and what he can do as he hunts down God who abandoned Heaven as Genesis was born.

I still think it would have been awesome as an episodic series on HBO.

DEADPOOL
Back in May, it was confirmed that Fox is moving forward with a "Deadpool" spin-off starring Ryan Reynolds. We heard plenty off-and-on from Reynolds during "Wolverine's" release about the possibility of a "Deadpool" spin-off, but now HitFix has another brief quote from Reynolds after its official announcement, and it sounds like it's moving along fairly quickly. But will any of this hold up?

"Well, I'm intimately involved with it. We're just trying to break a story right now and figure out who the villain is going to be and all that stuff. But, it's going to be just like the comic books. I'm gonna have a messed up face and you may see some flashbacks of Wade earlier in his life, but primarily what you see is what you get in the comics and that's the goal. And there is no better place to draw material from then the comics which are incredible."

I think Reynolds will be a great Wade Wilson/ Deadpool and I don't know how they are going to relate the film to "Wolverine." I just don't trust Fox with comic book adaptions anymore. I just don't.

BARBARELLA
Back in May, Rodriguez explained to MTV News that his "Barbarella" remake was dead in the water because the only way he could get the funding he needed was to move the production to Germany, which he didn't want to do. However, word is that "Legally Blonde" director Rob Luketic is now working with Dino De Laurentiis' company (which owns the rights to the property) to develop the movie with a different studio (instead of Universal).

"It will be a big intergalactic adventure with a sexy twist," an insider at EW said.

I think Rodriguez would have made the remake awesome. Luketic better not plan on making it some kind of romantic comedy.

BIOSHOCK
Gore Verbinski spoke with the LA Times recently and when asked about "BioShock," admitted that with halt in production and Universal's desire to move the entire project outside of the US to cut costs, he isn't sure if he can, or wants, do it anymore.

"There's a great script and a really interesting cast," he said." It really comes down to the financial model now. Big movies are just not being shot in the States. I'm weighing whether I can physically go the U.K. or Australia or one of those other places with a tax rebate for a year-and-a-half."

I think Verbinski would have had a wonderful vision for this film, but alas, he is an expensive director ("Pirates of the Caribbean 3" is one of the most expensive movies ever made).

WHERE'S WALDO
Universal has picked up the movie rights to the popular children's books series "Where's Waldo?" from Classic Media with the aim of making a live-action family movie. No word on a writer or director yet, only a producer - Chris Meledandri.

I wonder if it will be like this?


POLTERGEIST
Want to know more about the "Poltergeist" remake? Check out the script review video here!
More news to come! Catch ya' later!

Preacher

According to MTV News, "While speaking with MTV News this weekend about his upcoming film 'Away We Go,' director Sam Mendes dropped a few details about the status of his much-anticipated, big-screen version of Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon’s comic book series, 'Preacher.'

With a complicated storyline and some weighty subject matter, it’s tricky to imagine the best way to pull off a live-action 'Preacher.' Though Mendes is relatively mum at the moment (until he has a script in front of him, he told MTV), he did say that screenwriter John August is moving along with his first draft.

'He’s doing pretty well,' Mendes told MTV News, 'He’s about halfway through. There’s a long way to go yet, but I’m very, very hopeful. I think it could be amazing.'

The only other fact that Mendes is sure of at this point is that, while he can envision the film as a franchise, he’s going to give his all to make the first film great and self-contained.

'You have to try and get one really good and then, if you’re lucky, you can make a second or a third,' said Mendes. 'You can create something that’s going to run. But I think that there’s certainly more than enough for one good movie and plenty left over.'

Though casting is still a long way off, Mendes seemed excited at the prospect of bringing the characters to life, saying the series has some 'real good roles in there.'"

It still isn't confirmed that Mendes is directing "Preacher," but he sounds really excited about it. Hopefully he will commit to the film and it will get made quickly.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!