Pierce Brosnan, Ed Harris and Jim Gaffigan have signed up for the indie comedy, Salvation Boulevard. The satire, based on a book by Wag The Dog author Larry Beinhart, is set in the world of US mega-churches. A former Deadhead turned born again Christian private investigator finds himself on the run from fundamentalist members of his church, who will do anything to protect the reputation of their larger-than-life pastor, after he gets mixed up in the murder of an atheist professor.
Filming on Salvation Boulevard is set to start in April, from a script by Douglas Stone. Geroge Ratliff will direct.
It sounds like the sort of thing that could make a great film, although it may prove a bit contentious. The book plays out as a thriller, but it’s also satirical and takes a long, hard look at the nature of religious faith in America in the 21st Century, and doesn’t always like what it sees.