FIRST LOOK

First Look: Gerard Butler as Sam Childers from 'Machine Gun Preacher'

by Alex Billington
July 25, 2011
Source: USA Today

Where has Gerard Butler been hiding? Oh right, in terrible romantic comedies. Besides Ralph Fiennes' Shakespeare flick Coriolanus coming up, Butler also stars in a drama called Machine Gun Preacher, which chronicles the real-life story of Sam Childers (as pictured above left), a former drug-dealing biker 'tough guy' who found God and became the scourge of rebel forces who kidnap Sudanese children in Africa. Its been a while since we heard about the film, since it already finished shooting earlier this year, but thanks to USA Today we have a first look at Butler playing Childers and it's not too much, but it is a good first look.

Machine Gun Preacher is directed by Marc Forster (Stranger Than Fiction, The Kite Runner, Quantum of Solace), who has already moved on to start shooting World War Z, from a screenplay by Jason Keller. "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," Butler says of playing Childers. I hope this role brings him back around to giving good performances in films that aren't cheesy Hollywood creations. Relativity Media has MGP set to open limited release starting September 23rd during the film fest season.

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