Though it’s been rumored for a while now, executive producer Seth Rogen just announced via Twitter that actor Dominic Cooper, best known to fans as the younger version of Iron Man’s dad Howard Stark in Captain America: The First Avenger and TV’s Agent Carter, is making the jump from a Marvel adaptation to a DC Comics one. Yes, Cooper has officially landed the lead role of Reverend Jesse Custer in AMC’s adaptation of Preacher. The series will be based on the much loved 1990’s Vertigo Comics series of the same name from creators Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon.
According to Deadline, Cooper landed the role after lengthy negotiations with AMC, which is why an official casting announcement took so long. Cooper joins an already fleshed out ensemble cast, including Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Ruth Negga as Jesse’s ex-girlfriend Tulip, Joseph Gilgun as Jesse’s vampire friend Cassidy, Ian Colletti as Arseface, and Lucy Griffiths as Emily, an all-new character created just for the TV show.
The announcement came via executive producer Seth Rogen’s Twitter, where he had this to say:
We have Jesse Custer! @dominiccoop is gonna save our souls. #Preacher
— Seth Rogen (@Sethrogen) April 17, 2015
With Mad Men ending and Breaking Bad already over, the only really high profile, fan-driven series that AMC has is The Walking Dead. A faithful and proper adaptation of Preacher could be just what the network is looking for, as long as it’s done right. A show like this has all the ingredients to appeal to The Walking Dead fan base and be another water cooler pop culture hit. The script for the pilot episode is being written by Breaking Bad writer Sam Catlin, which also bodes well for the quality of the show. (Get a full breakdown of the script in a Preacher-themed episode of Nerdist News.)
Preacher doesn’t have a premiere date yet, but with the last major hurdle accomplished, expect to hear about the pilot filming very soon.
