At 0809 hours (Cool Standard Time) I got this extra bit about PREACHER:

I don't know if you got this already, but I was taking a look at the latest Variety, and there's a big Storm Entertainment ad with the Preacher movie as the first project noted as "in pre-production". Kevin Smith is the executive producer, Rachel Talalay is listed as director, and it says that the casting will be announced prior to MIFED 98 - that I believe is at the beggining of november. So, stay tuned.

Mr Wayne

Hey folks, looks like we got schamore info on that there PREACHER flickaroonie. So read on and enjoy!

According to the newsaskew site, dedicated to Kevin Smith's comic line, Smith has agreed to produce, I repeat, PRODUCE, the upcoming Preacher movie.

Call me the Mad Hatter

This next bit takes issue with the previous post about PREACHER. Claiming it's a buncha hooie. I'm looking into it....

I've dropped you some info in the past under various pseudonyms, notably as "Flint Locke" right after the San Diego Comic Con. I do some occasional work in the comic industry, and when I saw your posting on Preacher, I gave a call to a friend at Warners.

*If you use any of this please edit out my source!*

Needless to say when I told her about the Preacher movie casting your spy mentioned, she burst out laughing (especially the Sam Jackson thing). Apparently it's a lot of bullshit and/or wishful thinking, considering the very real possibility that the movie may never even get made. Ennis has finished a recent draft of the screenplay and she said it reads okay, though not as good as the book (some of it's pretty loose -- "movified" she called it). It still contains enough religious controversy to potentially keep it from getting off the ground. She seemed to think it would take a serious amount of interest by an actor and a lot of backing by Warners. Right now there's not a lot of buzz on it, especially given the onslaught of religion-based projects upcoming or in the works, and the situation at Warners (cruddy movies, the Superman debacle). On top of that, the movie is still only an option -- Ennis could sell off the rights if the interest and the money was there (true he said he never would do that but I bet say, a cool million, is a considerable incentive). To bottom line it, there is currently no budget and no casting, anything you see is merely conjecture.