File this under “rumor only” for right now, although an intriguing rumor nonetheless. Newsarama.com is reporting that an anonymous tipster gave them the heads-up that BLACK SWAN helmer Darren Aronofsky is in line to direct the long-gestating adaptation of Garth Ennis’ PREACHER. To use their word, he’s being “targeted”, so even if that part is true, there’s no guarantee that he’ll end up being the man for the job. (Aronofsky is also evidently on the short list of SUPERMAN reboot candidates.)
If you’ll recall, PREACHER was all set to go with Sam Mendes in the director’s chair, but the man jumped ship in the spring. Not long after, Joe Carnahan threw his hat into the ring, saying he loves the material and would like to do it… but as far as we know, he wasn’t even offered the gig. And before any of this, it was looking to be a series over at HBO, with Mark Steven Johnson overseeing, but that fell apart supposedly because of the dark subject matter. (Yeah, cuz HBO doesn’t do dark…)
Speaking of subject matter, here’s what PREACHER is about: Preacher follows a distressed man of the cloth named Jesse Custer who goes on a trip to literally find God after he was possessed and killed his entire congregation and destroyed his church. Custer joined in his road trip by old fame Tulip and a hard-drinking Irish vampire named Cassidy.
Let’s just hope that, if this does materialize, we don’t have another JONAH HEX on our hands.
Aronofsky’s wife, Rachel Weisz