With Relativity taking over distribution from Lionsgate, Marc Forster‘s upcoming drama Machine Gun Preacher is set to debut in theaters this fall. Starring Gerard Butler, there has even been some Oscar rumors for a possibly performance of his career. Butler stars alongside Michelle Monaghan, Kathy Baker, and Michael Shannon, in the “fact-based” film that follows Sam Childers, “a reformed badass who established an orphanage in war-torn Sudan and then supervised a militia to protect the kids who were being kidnapped to become child soldiers.” We now have the first still from the film from USA Today, which features Butler and Souleymane Sy Savane, who you may recognize from the excellent Goodbye Solo. Check it out below.
Butler even commented on his role and the opportunities that came with it:
“Those other roles were based on historic characters who became the stuff of legend, but Sam is a guy of our times. There is more complexity in a modern-day character who’s a drug addict and a biker turned businessman, missionary and soldier. You don’t get roles like this very often.”
“When I walked into Sam’s house, he had been so built up by everyone, I didn’t know what to expect. I met this absolutely dominant alpha male who on one hand loves the attention but on the other hand loves the company of his family and friends. This is his story and this is his moment to tell it to the world. I had to bow down to that. But there is a darkness in him as well. He could not go through all the things that are in the movie by being Mr. Nice Guy.”
Machine Gun Preacher will hit limited theaters on September 23rd, 2011 before expanding. Marc Forster is already on production with his next film, World War Z, starring Brad Pitt.
What do you think of our first look at Butler? Does this sound like a promising career turn for the actor?