It was recently announced that director DJ Caruso would be taking on the task of translating Garth Ennis’ Preacher comic series to the big screen. Now the I Am Number Four director talks a little about what he has in mind.
Speaking to the French website, CloneWeb, Caruso mentioned how controversial the story is as well as who he’d like to cast in the main roles.
“It is a crazy trip and I think what’s amazing and what makes Sony so brave is they can see there’s a real universality in the story when you have good versus evil. And I think when you have these crazy characters that are not necessarily politically correct, there’s something genuinely attractive to those characters and those elements,” said Caruso, “but at the end of the day, it really is a story about good versus evil and the decisions that you make and whether the demons are gonna win or the Genesis, or the good inside of Jesse is gonna be there.” He said that even though he thinks the story can be commercial, it will shock a lot of people at times.
Preacher follows Jesse Custer, a minister who has a crisis of faith when his entire congregation is killed when he’s possessed by a supernatural being called Genesis. He sets out on a journey to find God and have a few words with him along with his ex-girlfriend and a vampire.
Caruso said he read Preacher when it was first released but Sam Mendes was originally set to direct it. “Then when Sam went off to do James Bond, the opportunity came up again so I inquired,” he said. “But you know, I think the possibilities are great and I’m a huge fan of the comic. It is a lot of story to put into one movie and so that’s really the challenge.” Caruso also mentioned John August (Charlie’s Angels, Corpse Bride) is doing a great job with the script.
As far as casting, Caruso said he’s got a couple of ideas but isn’t quite there yet. However, he’s looking to Star Trek star, Chris Pine, for the lead role of Jesse. “I want to get the script in really good shape then start to put it together but I will say that for any movie I’ve ever done I’ve never gotten more phone calls or texts or things from actors,” he said. “An actor that I love very much and I’ve had a conversation with is Chris Pine, for Jesse. Shia LaBeouf loves Arseface. He wants to play Arseface, so we’re kinda working that out too.” LaBeouf previously worked with the director on Disturbia and Eagle Eye.
“And this guy right here [speaking to Alex Pettyfer, his I Am Number Four star], he’s thinking, he’s really thinking that the Saint of Killers is a good role even though he hasn’t read it yet. But he will.”
Caruso admitted he’s not a huge comic book fan but likes a lot of DC’s Vertigo line. The director was also attached at one time to adapt Brian K. Vaughan’s Y: The Last Man.
March 24th, 2011 at 6:31 pm
As hilarious as LaBeouf/arseface would be, please. for the love of EVERYTHING that is right, stay the hell away from Preacher.