Though Forster’s next project be the Gerard Butler-starring drama Machine Gun Preacher, he’s preparing for the future. On the horizon may be Heretics, written by Marcus Hinchey (All Good Things), a film based on the “This American Life” podcast episode of the same name. [The Playlist]
Here’s the episode logline of the site:
“The story of Reverend Carlton Pearson, a renowned evangelical pastor in Tulsa, Oklahoma, who cast aside the idea of Hell, and with it everything he’d worked for over his entire life.”
Pearson built a 5,000 member congregation at an impressively young age. Between television appearances and friendships with people like Oral Roberts and acquaintances who included the President, Pearson was an up-and-coming Evangelical star – until he stopped believing in Hell. Preaching this new sermon, Pearson soon lost the majority of his congregation, the majority of his funding and the majority of his Evangelical street-cred. And for what?
The This American Life episode is one of the most interesting in the production’s canon, which is quite a compliment. It’s a wonder more of the show’s episodes aren’t optioned for film.
What do you think of this? What do you think of Forster in relation to this kind of material?