Editing Preacher (comics) (section)

===Adaptation attempts===
[[Garth Ennis]], feeling ''Preacher'' would translate perfectly as a film, sold the [[film rights]] to [[Electric Entertainment]]. [[Rachel Talalay]] was hired to direct, with Ennis writing the script. Rupert Harvey and [[Tom Astor]] were set as producers. By May 1998, Ennis completed three drafts of the script, based largely on the ''Gone to Texas'' story arc.<ref name=Stax>{{cite news | author = Stax | url = http://movies.ign.com/articles/035/035980p1.html | title = The Stax report: Script Review of ''Preacher'' | work = [[IGN]] | date = 2000-02-10 | access-date = 2008-10-29}}</ref> The filmmakers found it difficult financing ''Preacher'' because investors found the idea religiously controversial. Ennis approached [[Kevin Smith]] and [[Scott Mosier]] to help finance the film under their [[View Askew Productions]] banner. Ennis, Smith and Mosier [[pitch (filmmaking)|pitch]]ed ''Preacher'' to [[Bob Weinstein]] at [[Miramax Films]].<ref name=Smith/>

Weinstein was confused by the characterization of [[Jesse Custer]]. Miramax also did not want to share the box office gross with Electric Entertainment, ultimately dropping the pitch. By May 2000, Smith and Mosier were still attached to produce with Talalay directing, but Smith did not know the status of ''Preacher'', feeling it would languish in [[development hell]].<ref name=Smith>{{cite news | author = Elston Gunn | url = https://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=5942 | title = Elston Gunn interviews Kevin Smith | date = 2000-05-14 | work = [[Ain't It Cool News]] | access-date = 2008-10-29}}</ref> By then, Storm Entertainment, a UK-based production company known for their work on [[independent films]], joined the production with Electric Entertainment.<ref name="Stax" /> In September 2001, the two companies announced ''Preacher'' had been [[greenlight]]ed to commence [[pre-production]], with filming to begin in November and Talalay still directing Ennis' script.<ref>{{cite news | author = Drew McWeeny | url = https://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=10086 | title = ''Preacher'' Has Got A Greenlight!! Hell Freezes Over!! | work = [[Ain't It Cool News]] | date = 2001-09-06 | access-date = 2008-10-29}}</ref> The production and start dates were pushed back because of financial issues<ref name="James">{{cite news | author = Ethan Aames | title = Interview: James Marsden on ''Heights'' | work = Cinema Confidential | url = http://www.cinecon.com/news.php?id=0506201 | date = 2005-06-20 | access-date = 2008-10-29}}</ref> of the $25 million projected budget.<ref name="Sam" />

[[James Marsden]] was cast in the lead role as Jesse Custer sometime in 2002. He explained, "It was something I never knew anything about, but once I got my hands on the comic books, I was blown away by it."<ref name="James" /> In a March 2004 interview, Marsden said the filmmakers were hoping for filming to start the following August.<ref>{{cite news | author = Stax | title = Marsden on ''Preacher'' | url = http://movies.ign.com/articles/500/500745p1.html | work = [[IGN]] | date = 2004-03-22 | access-date = 2008-10-29}}</ref> With the full-length film adaptation eventually abandoned with budgetary concerns,<ref name=James/> [[HBO]] announced in November 2006 that they commissioned [[Mark Steven Johnson]] and [[Howard Deutch]] to produce a [[television pilot]]. Johnson was to write with Deutch directing.<ref>{{cite news | author = Eric Goldman | url = http://tv.ign.com/articles/748/748151p1.html | title = HBO Prays for ''Preacher'' | work = [[IGN]] | date = 2006-11-29 | access-date = 2008-10-29}}</ref> Impressed with Johnson's pilot script, HBO had him write the [[bible (writing)|series bible]] for the first season.<ref name="if">{{cite news|author=Peter Brown |title=Exclusive Interview: Mark Steven Johnson Finds Religion With ''Preach'' – Part 1 |url=http://ifmagazine.com/feature.asp?article=2148 |work=IF Magazine |date=2007-06-10 |access-date=2008-10-29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080228040805/http://ifmagazine.com/feature.asp?article=2148 |archive-date=February 28, 2008 }}</ref> Johnson first planned "to turn each comic book issue into a single episode" on a [[shot-for-shot]] basis. "I gave [HBO] the comics, and I said, 'Every issue is an hour'. Ennis said 'You don't have to be so beholden to the comic'. And I'm like, 'No, no, no. It's got to be like the comic'."<ref>{{cite news|author=Cindy White |title=Johnson Talks HBO's ''Preacher'' |work=[[Sci Fi Wire]] |date=2006-12-01 |url=http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.php?category=0&id=39072 |access-date=2008-10-29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081028195714/http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.php?category=0&id=39072 |archive-date=October 28, 2008 }}</ref>

Johnson also wanted to make sure that [[one-shot (comics)|one-shot]]s were included as well.<ref>{{cite news|author=Daniel Robert Epstein |title=Johnson Talks HBO's ''Preacher'' |work=[[Newsarama]] |url=http://www.newsarama.com/movies/Preacher/MSJPreacher.html |date=2006-12-05 |access-date=2008-10-29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071013191548/http://newsarama.com/movies/Preacher/MSJPreacher.html |archive-date=October 13, 2007 }}</ref> Johnson changed his position, citing new storylines conceived by Ennis. "Well, there would be nothing new to add if we did that, so Garth [Ennis] and I have been creating new stories for the series," he said. "I love the book so much and I was telling Garth that he has to make the stories we are coming up with as comics because I want to see them."<ref name="if" /> By August 2008, new [[studio executive]]s at HBO decided to abandon the idea, finding it too stylistically dark and religiously controversial.<ref>{{cite news | author = Rob Allstetter | title = Mark Steven Johnson: No ''Preacher'' On HBO | url = http://www.comicscontinuum.com/stories/0808/25/index.htm | work = Comics Continuum | date = 2008-08-25 | access-date = 2008-10-29}}</ref> [[Columbia Pictures]] then purchased the film rights in October 2008 with [[Sam Mendes]] planned to direct. [[Neal H. Moritz]] and Jason Netter would have produced the film. The previous scripts written by Ennis would not have been used.<ref name="Sam">{{cite news|author=Borys Kit|author2=Leslie Simmons |title=Columbia signs on for 'Preacher' feature |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3ia758ca52fdc0aac4698b23b4c5a8da7c |work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |date=2008-10-29 |access-date=2008-10-29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081030071449/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3ia758ca52fdc0aac4698b23b4c5a8da7c |archive-date=October 30, 2008 }}</ref>