I’m glad to hear Mickey Rourke being considered for more and more roles now that his first “comeback” movie has proven to be so successful. There’s been the repeated reports of Rourke being in talks with the producers of Iron Man 2 to take part in the sequel, and now the actor has been signed onto an independent drama that will see Rourke as part hitman, part priest.

Variety reports that Rourke has joined the cast of St. Vincent, a picture from Walter Hill, who worked with Rourke on Johnny Handsome in 1989. Rourke will star as a hitman who has to return to his New York neighborhood to finish a botched assignment. The drama finds the hit man forced to disguise himself as a priest, where he winds up taking the confessions of his intended victim.

I like that Rourke is trying a variety of roles with his return, from washed-up wrestler to what could be a compelling duality with a hit man who is forced to listen to the sins of his target, potentially gaining sympathy for the person he’s supposed to be assassinating. The actor certainly seems to be selecting smart roles, or, at the very least, some interesting ones.