Paul Bettany is pretty cool, though he’s no Gerard Butler. So it comes as a surprise that Gerard Butler was replaced by Paul on the soon-to-be filmed “horror-western” film Priest, based on a graphic novel. According to My Park Mag, Priest is about “a warrior clergyman who confronts a band of vampires who have kidnapped his niece… It is an adaptation of a TokyoPop comic book, which is based in a world that has been ‘ravaged by centuries of war between man and vampire’.” Yikes.

Paul Bettany is to star as a priest in a new horror movie.

The ‘Match Point’ actor has been approached to re-team with his ‘Legion’ director Scott Stewart in ‘Priest’ after ‘300’ star Gerard Butler dropped out of the project.

Clint Culpepper, president of Screen Gems who are making the movie, said he believed the ‘Da Vinci Code’ star was perfect for the title role in the new film.

He said: “I knew the minute I saw Scott’s first cut of ‘Legion’ that Paul was ‘Priest’ and I mentioned it to him immediately.”

Described as a horror western, ‘Priest’ follows a warrior clergyman who confronts a band of vampires who have kidnapped his niece.

It is an adaptation of a TokyoPop comic book, which is based in a world that has been “ravaged by centuries of war between man and vampire”.

[From My Park Mag]

Who thinks of this stuff? I can never tell if these kinds of graphic novels (the kind where you have to believe the earth has been “ravaged by centuries of war between man and vampire”) are extremely creative or so utterly boring.

In other Gerard Butler news, the film that he did a year and a half ago has gotten a new name. It was called Game, but will now be called Citizen Game. Like a play on Citizen Kane. The film is another one of these futuristic bloodfests, so don’t go expecting a romantic comedy:

Lionsgate has released the first photo from the film that used to be called Game starring Gerard Butler, but is apparently now titled Citizen Game.

The picture is directed by Crank duo Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor and stars Gerard Butler as Kabel in a futuristic film in which Kabel participates in Slayers, an ultra-violent multi-player online game in which millions worldwide tune in online to watch him and hundreds of other convicts battle.

As for the new title, I have no idea if this is supposed to be some sort of play off Citizen Kane or if it is to imply the citizens fuel this violent game or what, but it just seems silly.

However you look at it, Citizen Game is set to hit theaters on September 4.

[From Rope of Silicon]

Yes, it all seems very silly. Here’s my question: are Paul Bettany and Gerard Butler on the same playing field? Paul is a really talented actor, but I can’t really see a big, futuristic action film falling on his slender shoulders. He should be doing thoughtful, quiet dramas, right? Now, if Gerard Butler had stayed on to play the vampire-killing priest, I might have bought it.

Here’s Paul Bettany at the People’s Choice Awards in Los Angeles on January 7th. Images thanks to WENN .