FATHER GEEK here passing along this story from our Italian spy De Sica. Sounds way cooool! I just hope it doesn't bog down in over development Hell... Here's the report as it came to Geek Headquarters in Austin today...

Oi.

I didn't seem to be able to find anything about the upcoming Preacher movie, so I just wanted to give you my lowdown on it.

Source: Official leaflet and spec papers from Storm Entertainment, as freely handed out at the MIFED film market held in Milano last week.

Summary: Hey, there's people working on the pre-production of a Preacher movie! Yes, the gigacool comics one! It's true! Quite, anyway.

Bits of news (got the papers to back it up in my office)

Director (confirmed) - Rachel Talalay (Tank Girl)

Cast :

Preacher: Johnny Depp

Cass: Robert Carlyle

Saint of killers: Jean Reno

Script: Ennis! Yeah, the original scripter himself! God be blessed!

Story: Focused on the story beginning and apparently open-ended. The Preacher gets the Word, he's pursued by the redneck sheriff and the Saint of Killers, escapes them, meets his family from the Bible Belt's buckle and readies himself to battle Grandma.

Production: Storm Entertainment (the guys of the lesser Nightmare movies. Sigh)

Status: Way pre. I'd guess they're desperately trying to find the money to do it. It looked like their focal product at the MIFED anyway.

What exists that I now have: A 4 pages colour leaflet trying to summarize what the hell the Preacher (comics) is about. A 25 something pages spec paper including a script summary, several Carlyle/Depp press cuts, a Talalay bio, a series synopsis for the comics and various bits and pieces of pre-production info.

No, I haven't spoken personally with anybody from Storm. I just bagged the stuff along with tons of other docs thanks to my press access here in Milano.

Scream if you need more.

Keep up the great work.

De Sica