Stephen Moyer, Cam Gigandet Shed Their Vampire Fangs in "Priest"

They both found fame playing vampires. Now, Cam Gigandet (“Twilight”) and Stephen Moyer (HBO’s “True Blood”) are on the opposite side of the fence fighting bloodsuckers in Columbia Pictures’ new supernatural action-thriller “Priest.”

Based on the popular graphic novel series written by Min-Woo Hyung, “Priest” is set in an alternate world -- one ravaged by centuries of war between man and vampires. The story revolves around a legendary Warrior Priest (Paul Bettany) from the last Vampire War who now lives in obscurity among the other downtrodden human inhabitants in walled-in dystopian cities ruled by the Church. When his niece, Lucy (Lily Collins), is abducted by a murderous pack of vampires, Priest breaks his sacred vows to venture out on an obsessive quest to find her before they turn her into one of them. He is joined on his crusade by his niece’s boyfriend, Hicks (Gigandet), and a former Warrior Priestess (Maggie Q) who possesses otherworldly fighting skills.


Priest learns of Lucy’s abduction from Hicks, the sharpshooting lawman of the tiny wasteland town of Augustine. A young man with a chip on his shoulder, Hicks is eager to prove himself worthy of his badge. “Hicks has had responsibility thrust upon him early in life,” says producer Michael De Luca. “It’s tough to walk the line of justice in the wasteland. But his father and his grandfather held the job before him. It’s his duty.”

Hicks’ involvement in the search goes beyond his professional responsibilities. He and Lucy were planning to be married. “Augustine is a small town in the middle of nowhere,” says Gigandet. “It’s not protected like the cities, so his responsibilities are even greater. It’s all about what needs to be done to survive. When he met Lucy, she opened his eyes to the idea of doing something because you want to. They were going to start a new life. But he gets drawn into another world and ultimately learns that the vampire wars are far from over.”

Bettany says Gigandet brought lightness to their scenes together. “Cam was so fantastic to work with,” says Bettany. “Priest is stoic, so he doesn’t really have an opportunity for humor. That all fell to Cam to provide. They have a grumpy father and son type of relationship.”

Stephen Moyer plays Owen Pace, Lucy’s father. “Owen and his family are people who’ve chosen to live outside the walls,” says director Scott Stewart. “The wastelands are a lawless place. It’s a very hard life and quite desolate.”

Moyer enjoyed the chance to play a character who could actually walk in the sun and didn’t require hours of special effects makeup for a change. “Owen is Priest’s brother, a scientist who works in an outpost way outside the city. It’s a godforsaken hole that my character has constructed. He’s got turbines and motors and he’s trying to grow things. It’s rather beautiful actually—kind of your dream cabin by a lake, only in the middle of a sunblasted desert.”

Opened across the Philippines on May 11, “Priest” is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International. Visit www.sonypictures.com.ph to get the latest movie news, video clips, games and free downloads. Find us on Facebook www.Facebook.com/ColumbiaPicturesPH and join our fan contests.