MONDAY’S death of Roman Catholic priest Monsignor Richard Albert, has not derailed plans for a film based on his life.

American actor David Arquette is slated to play Albert.

When the Jamaica Observer caught up with Wayne Jobson, scriptwriter and producer of the project, at his Los Angeles, California base yesterday, he was still in shock having only just heard of the Monsignor’s death.

“I just got the call from my brother in Jamaica a few minutes ago. It is so sad,” said Jobson.

“I am happy David (Arquette) had a chance to meet Father Albert, hang out with him and have an idea of his vibe… But I am totally devastated,” he remarked.

Jobson is currently tweaking the script with production slated to commence in 2016. He maintained that this film, titled Redemption, will be one of the strongest stories coming out of Jamaica.

“Father Albert was worried about what we would include in the film regarding his dealings with wanted men Sandokhan and Natty Morgan — around which the film revolves — and that’s one of the reasons we are reworking the script which should be ready in another month or so… we really want to get it right. In addition, we are adding some humour to ease the tension of what could be a very heavy subject, and we all know Father Albert had a sense of humour. We really wanted him to see the final product, but that is not to be,” said Jobson.

Sandokhan (give name Wayne Smith) and Nathaniel ‘Natty’ Morgan were two of the island’s Most Wanted Men. Both met with Albert while on the run from police. Smith was killed by his cronies in Tower Hill in 1989, while Morgan was slain in St Catherine by cops in 1990.

Jobson disclosed that Arquette is playing the title role in a touring stage version of Sherlock Holmes, and serious discussions about the Albert flick will begin when that project is completed.

In June, Arquette told the Observer that he heard of the proposed bio-pic about the colourful, Bronx-born Albert through his relationship with Jobson and his brother, Brian.

“He (Jobson) invited me to come down and see the real Jamaica, so we were in Ocho Rios, went to the beach and the river and that was incredible. It’s my first time in Kingston and I was with Monsignor, who took us around to the various schools and programmes he started in Riverton and other places,” said Arquette.

Albert lived and worked in some of the toughest inner-cities of Kingston since he first arrived in Jamaica 40 years ago. A diabetic, he was taken to the University Hospital of the West Indies in St Andrew on Monday, after complaining of not feeling well. He passed away there, fulfilling a wish that his last breath be taken in Jamaica.