Before The Boys, Seth Rogen's Preacher Pushed Comic‑TV Boundaries

Before The Boys became a hit, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg made their small‑screen debut as executive producers on Preacher, a four‑season adaptation of Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon's comic. The series pushed tonal and moral boundaries, mixing gore, sexuality and dark humor in ways that helped lay groundwork for later, more widely seen comic adaptations.

Preacher follows Jesse Custer after the supernatural being Genesis—born of an angel and a demon—takes residence in him and grants the “Voice of God,” forcing anyone who hears it to obey. Jesse, joined by his ex Tulip and the Irish vampire Cassidy, sets out to confront God while being hunted by the Saint of Killers; along the way they face cults, old enemies and even an inbred descendant of Jesus.

AMC premiered Preacher in 2016 with Dominic Cooper, Ruth Negga and Joseph Gilgun in the leads. The show’s provocations—characters nicknamed “Arseface,” an appearance by Adolf Hitler and other extreme elements—earned generally strong reviews (Rotten Tomatoes scores ranging from 92% to 77%).

preacher, seth rogen, evan goldberg, garth ennis, steve dillon, dominic cooper, ruth negga, joseph gilgun, amc, comic adaptation