AMC’s ‘Preacher’ Reportedly Eyes Dominic Cooper to Lead

As AMC scurries about its latest spinoff attempts, we’re keeping a closer eye on the long-awaited adaptation of Preacher, as shepherded by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. Only the pilot order is official, though a new report suggests Agent Carter star Dominic Cooper has become the frontrunner for the title role.

Take this one with a grain of salt for the moment, as even the report specifies that AMC has extended no formal offer to Cooper, though The Tracking Board suggests that the Captain America actor has emerged as a top pick for the central role of supernatural preacher Jesse Custer. It might make sense that Cooper should take a more formal TV gig in the wake of Agent Carter and other small-screen roles, though the report doesn’t actually specify who floated Cooper’s name, or why.

For those unfamiliar with the 1990s comic series from Garth Ennis and artist Steve Dillon, AMC’s official description of Preacher reads:

Preacher is about Jesse Custer, a conflicted Preacher in a small Texas town who merges with a creature that has escaped from heaven and develops the ability to make anyone do anything he says. Along with his ex-girlfriend, Tulip, and an Irish vampire named Cassidy, the three embark on a journey to literally find God.

The original Preacher had itself been optioned for various adaptations many times over the years, while AMC’s incarnation will shoot this summer for a potential 2016 airdate. Sam Catlin (Breaking Bad) will serve as executive producer and showrunner for the new series, while fellow producers Rogen and Goldberg will direct the pilot episode, having written the script with Catlin.

The recent greenlight of AMC’s Walking Dead companion series suggests that Preacher too may begin to move forward with casting, but is Cooper the man for the job? Who might fill the other roles of AMC’s next comic drama?