John August attached to two anticipated hip-geek projects: "Frankenweenie", "Preacher"

Look for out screenwriter John August to be the toast of Comic-Con, as he's been attached to write the big-screen adaptation of the dark graphic novel Preacher as well as a feature version of Tim Burton's 1984 short film Frankenweenie.

August recently announced on his blog that his adaptation of Shazam! was mired in development hell, but the writer-director of The Nines isn't getting out of the comic-book movie business just yet. The Hollywood Reporter announced that August will be adapting Preacher, Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon's bleakly sardonic look at a Texas preacher given the power to stalk and destroy his mortal enemy — God.

Barrett Oliver and Shelley Duvall in Frankenweenie
 

Also on August's slate is a feature-length adaptation of Frankenweenie, one of two short films Tim Burton made for Disney before his big breakthrough with Pee-Wee's Big Adventure. Unlike the first Frankenweenie, which was live-action, this one will involve stop-motion animation and will be released in 3-D.

August and Burton are frequent collaborators, having previously teamed up for Big Fish, Corpse Bride and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; the two are also putting together a big-screen Dark Shadows, slated to star Johnny Depp as lovesick vampire Barnabbas Collins.