THE BOONDOCK SAINTS Gets A TV Prequel With Troy Duffy Writing and Directing

1999's The Boondock Saints has, perhaps deservedly, become the go-to example of a filmmaker trying to make a Tarantino-style action movie and failing to capture QT's inimitable flair for character, dialogue, and action. But the film earned a cult following through strong word of mouth (everyone was still raving about it when I was in college in the mid-2000s), and though writer/director Troy Duffy imploded (as chronicled in the documentary Overnight), he was eventually able to make a theatrical sequel with 2009's The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day (which I thought was horrible). Despite all of the hate, Duffy undoubtedly hit a nerve with his foul-mouthed vigilante characters, and talks of a third film have been ongoing for years.

Now Deadline reports that Duffy will explore the origins of the Saints in a new TV prequel series for IM Global Television. He'll write the series and direct the first episode as he executive produces the show, and original stars Norman Reedus and Sean Patrick Flannery are in early talks to become co-executive producers. Though Netflix's Wet Hot American Summer series is a prequel that's bringing back the original cast to reprise their roles, it doesn't seem like that will be the case for The Boondock Saints. The story will follow the early days of the vigilante MacManus brothers as they grow up in South Boston.

“For years I’ve been obsessed with telling a real origin story with Boondock, and IM Global TV has stepped up,” Duffy said. “Television is the perfect medium to explore these controversial characters on a much deeper level and to bring Boondock Saints to a whole new audience.”

“Since its initial release more than 15 years ago, The Boondock Saints has become a true cultural phenomenon,” said IM Global TV president Mark Stern. “Troy is a consummate storyteller with a compelling vision for a series; the minute we heard it, we were hooked.”

Consummate storyteller? That's probably going a little bit too far, don't you think?

I'm interested to hear from you guys on this one. Are there any Boondock Saints fans left out there? Are you interested in a prequel without Reedus and Flannery in front of the camera?