It’s been 15 years since the first “Preacher” rumor surfaced, way back when it was going to be a Kevin Smith cinematic feature. Over those years, just as many names and formats have been attached, like Sam Mendes and HBO, but none have come to fruition. Many consider it unfilmable, and most consider its most important topics and themes far too vulgar and profane for any mainstream venue. Prime time might not be ready for this particular descendent of Christ, if you know what I’m sayin’.
But Badass Digest shared that a source reports AMC ordering a pilot. On one hand it would certainly make sense; there are about to be two time slots open (maybe three if “Low Moon Rising” doesn’t up its game a bit), and the network has had unforseeable success with its current comic book adaptation. But on the other hand, there’s just that. AMC already has one dark epic based on a funnybook and they’re about to add a spin-off. I doubt said spinoff will be a slapstick sitcom, so would AMC really want to become the “Effed Up Comic Book Network”?
For my dime? I’d say yes. If FX can pull off some of the psuedo-smut that they get away with in “American Horror Story,” then I have confidence that AMC would hire a team that can tone down the comic enough to air on TV while remaining true to the story.
And for the rest of my money, “Preacher” remains unconstested as my favorite comic of all time. Ever. It tells the epic tale of Jesse Custer who is a vessel for Genesis, the offspring of a demon and angel, that allows Jesse to speak with the Voice of God. He travels with an assassin ex-lover named Tulip and an Irish Vampire, and along their way they encounter abusive ancestors, an evil operative executioner whose head looks like a penis, a suicide-survivor pop-star, more evil ancestors, and a dude so cold and dead inside that he carries two Colts made from the melted sword that Death used to carry and gunned down the Devil himself. Just ’cause. Oh, and also cannibals, a bulimic narcissistic Freemason type, imaginary John Wayne, a deplorable millionaire, angels, more vampires, and oh yeah the mentally retarded inbred descendent of Jesus Christ. Did I not mention that television might not be ready for this?
The series was so much more than what’s mentioned above, but when I think “‘Preacher’ on TV,” these are the things that come to mind first – the roadblocks, not the stories. It doesn’t change the fact that I would love to see a good adaptation in my lifetime.
I will remain trepidatiously optimistic, just as I have been for 15 years. My only sadness comes from the fact that Bill Hicks won’t be able to fill his own part. Yeah, they meet Bill Hicks, too.
Now let’s fancast this sonufabitch!