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