AMC has been reportedly courting Marvel alum Dominic Cooper for the lead role in its Preacher adaptation. While that rumor has yet to be verified with an official announcement, the network has scooped up another Marvel stalwart in the meantime. Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. star Ruth Negga has boarded the series for the role of Tulip.
Preacher hails from Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. The creative pair has been developing the show based on the original comic series by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon, which revolves around the exploits of Reverend Jesse Custer (the role Cooper is in contention for). A man of the cloth who loses his way, Custer decides to track down God after the creator of the universe bails on his responsibilities, enlisting his ex-girlfriend and an amiable vampire to help on his quest.
Per Deadline, Negga is now the first cast member to sign on as Custer’s ex-beau. The site describes her as “a volatile, action-packed, sexified force of nature, a capable, unrepentant criminal with a love of fashion and ability to construct helicopter-downing bazookas out of coffee cans and corn shine who’s not afraid to steal, kill or corn cob-stab her way out of a bad situation.”
In accordance to the law of adaptations, it sounds like this small screen version will maintain loyalty to her comic book counterpart. Last October, Rogen posted a Tweet including a screenshot from the pilot script which further backs up that statement:
#Preacher pic.twitter.com/ekiDN15pxj
— Seth Rogen (@Sethrogen) October 29, 2014
Besides Negga – and the rumored Cooper – there are no other confirmed members of the cast, but we expect that will change considering the amount of interest this first announcement has generated. Until then, check out AMC’s official synopsis of Preacher below and let us know if you think Negga will make a worthy Tulip.
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.