Yes, the Preacher show for HBO is still kicking around, and looking at how weak their original programming line-up is lately, it’s probably a safe bet that this show is going places. Sadly, it will still be going to them with Mark Steven Johnson, the auteur of Ghost Rider*, but it looks like there will be no Howard Deutch. Deutch directed Pretty in Pink and Some Kind of Wonderful, but went on to direct absolute shit like Grumpier Old Men and The Odd Couple II**. Deutch was going to bring his old man buddy comedy expertise to the pilot episode of the show based on Garth Ennis’ Vertigo comic about a fallen man of the cloth imbued with the Word of God and a quest to hunt down the Lord and make him pay for his crimes against humanity.
So if Deutch is out, who’s in? Comics2Film is hearing that Robert Rodriguez is circling this one, and is interested in putting his distinct touch on the series. I’m no fan of Rodriguez’ s over-stylized stylings, but I think the idea of a Mark Steven Johnson-led Preacher series is doomed from the get-go anyway, and at least RR will keep things visually interesting.
*Maybe not really, depending on what rumors you believe.
** Yes, I also forgot that this ever happened. A protective memory mechanism!