Mendes Believes In "Preacher"...

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Director Sam "Road To Perdition" Mendes will helm a feature based on the graphic novel series "Preacher" for Columbia Pictures.

Based on the Garth Ennis/Steve Dillon Vertigo comics, the property was previously at HBO.

The upcoming feature will have Original Films' Neal Moritz producing with Kickstart Prods.' Jason Netter. The production duo are also developing Ennis' graphic novel "The Boys" at Columbia.

Netter previously developed last summer's "Wanted" and is behind the upcoming "Wolverine" and "X-Men" animated TV series on Nicktoons.

Mendes won an Academy Award for directing "Ameican Beauty"...