Despite the lackluster critical acclaim of his two 2009 films (The Ugly Truth and Law Abiding Citizen), Gerard Butler confirmed his (momentary) stardom with their financial success. Now it seems he’s getting a little more passionate in his project selection, as evidenced in recent news that he’s collaborating with director Marc Forster to make Machine Gun Preacher, and “tell the story of Sam Childers, a former drug-dealing biker tough guy who found God and became a crusader for hundreds of Sudanese children who’ve been kidnapped and pressed into duty as soldiers” [Deadline Hollywood].
Butler hopes to play Childers, and up-and-coming writer Jason Keller apparently produced a script (based on an Dateline episode on the story and Keller’s own memoir) that “hooked” the actor, who’s to determined to show off his acting abilities.
Forster has been all over the news recently, apparently set to direct Leonardo DiCaprio in Robert Ludlum’s The Chancellor Manuscript as well. Which film will come first who knows. More news to come.
Would you be interested in seeing Gerard Butler in a meatier role like this?