'Preacher' Casts Dominic Cooper; 6 Things To Know About AMC's Comic Book Adaptation

Seth Rogen’s latest project isn’t exactly a stoner comedy. The comedian is writing the pilot for AMC’s drama “Preacher,” along with Evan Goldberg and Sam Catlin. Dominic Cooper will play the leading role, preacher Jesse Custer, reports the Hollywood Reporter. The character has a drinking problem and a dark past, but he's about to find a new purpose in life. The Western fantasy series could be AMC’s next hit. Stay ahead of the trend, and find out what you need to know about the new series.

1. Graphic Novel. After the success of “The Walking Dead,” it is no surprise that AMC looked to graphic novels for their next hit. The series consists of 75 comics which were published between 1995 and 2000 on DC Comics' Vertigo imprint. “Preacher” follows Texan preacher Jesse Custer as he is possessed by a force called Genesis and acquires new powers. Once he discovers that God has abandoned Heaven, Jesse goes on a mission to find God.

2. Changes. Don’t expect the TV series to be entirely faithful to the comics. “We’re definitely trying to expand on some of the ideas in the comic and make it that,” Rogen told /Film last year. “We love most of the main cornerstones of the comic, but we’re trying to make it that even if you’ve read the comic you should not know exactly what to expect from the TV show.”

However, the official synopsis makes it sound like the TV series will at least roughly follow the original story line. Like in the graphic novels, Jesse is tracking down God with his ex-girlfriend (Ruth Negga) and vampire companion (Joseph Gilgun). The preacher has lost his faith and has a lot of issues with the Big Guy for disappearing.

3. Creatures. Gilgun’s vampire character Cassidy isn’t the only supernatural creature on “Preacher.” The show will likely feature plenty of vampires, demons and other creatures of the night. Those other beings might not be as friendly as the Irish vampire.

4. Enemies. Every hero needs an adversary, and Jesse’s sounds terrifying. It looks like his nemesis will come straight from the “Preacher” comics. His enemy is “an immortal, unstoppable killing machine named the Saint of Killers -- a Western lone gunman archetype whose sole purpose is to hunt and kill Jesse,” the synopsis teases.

5. Western Elements. Rogen tweeted out some of the films he was watching for inspiration. They include plenty of Westerns, like “True Grit,” “3:10 to Yuma” and “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.” Also present were both “Kill Bill” films and “Friday Night Lights.”

More recently, Rogen tweeted a picture of one of the locations that could possibly be used in "Preacher" Season 1. Perhaps this will be Jesse’s church?

6. Comic Book Alums – Some of the actors are very familiar with comic book territory. Cooper plays Howard Stark in “Captain America: The First Avenger” and “Agent Carter.” Ruth Negga will play the preacher’s ex-girlfriend Tulip O’Hare, and Negga currently stars on “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” as Inhuman Raina. Lucy Griffiths will play Emily Woodrow, a church organist, and audiences may recognize her from DC’s television adaption of “Constantine,” where she briefly played Liv.

AMC has not announced an premiere date for “Preacher” yet.