Posted on 11/17/2017 10:01:48 AM PST by Captain Peter Blood
Nearly two decades after George Clooney left the seminal medical drama ER, the actor is making a return to the small screen — and the only catch is the one in the title.
Clooney will be directing and starring in a miniseries adaptation of Catch-22 from Paramount TV and Anonymous Content. There is no network currently attached to air the miniseries.
Clooney will be adapting Joseph Heller’s tragicomic 1961 World War II satirical novel Catch-22 into a six-episode miniseries and starring as Colonel Cathcart, the primary antagonist of the book, according to Variety.
Based off of Heller’s own experiences in World War II, the story follows the attempts of disillusioned bomber pilot Captain John Yossarian as he seeks to escape the madness and absurdity of war, only to be blocked at every turn by red tape and opportunistic superiors. And then there’s the infamous “catch-22”: a series of paradoxical Air Force regulations that make it essentially impossible for pilots to be declared mentally unfit to fly.
Clooney’s producing partner Grant Heslov will direct some of the series, and the episodes were co-written by Luke Davies and David Michôd, who will also executive produce. Richard Brown and Steve Golin will executive produce for Anonymous Content along with Clooney and Heslov under Smokehouse Pictures.
The last time Catch-22 was adapted was as a 1970 film by Mike Nichols, starring Alan Arkin as Yossarian and Martin Balsam as Colonel Cathcart.
George Clooney and a Catch 22 miniseries seem like a match made in farcical, black comedy heaven. The actor has often chosen roles that undercut his Hollywood leading man good looks in charm — to balance out the bevy of roles which highlight them — often in collaboration with the Coen Brothers. While his last directorial effort, the Coen-lite dark comedy Suburbicon, disappointed critically, that doesn’t mean he should avoid the genre altogether. Clooney has long proved himself a magnetic leading man, and a talented — if hit-or-miss — behind-the-scenes creator, and Catch-22 could provide him the perfect outlet for merging his whimsical tendencies with his eye for the dramatic.
The series is aiming for a 2018 production start. No network has picked up the project yet.
I can only imagine how he will screw this up. Probably going to cast many of Ocean 11 buddies in roles, my will Matt Damon be in it. Clooney reportedly will play Col. Cathcart.
Interesting that he is going back to TV now that he has bombed out at the Movies. My guess is that Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon will pick this up thinking this some kind of prestige project.
Give credit to Clooney, he is squeezing all he can out of Hollywood, but then again he is "The Good Left Wing Liberal".
F-Clowny, F-Hollywood. Shoot your TV ban all movies from that cesspool.
Now there's no war, and no draft.
Maybe George is betting the situation will change.
He’s way too old to star in this.
Not that there’s a chance in hell I’d watch it, anyway.
An attempt to film Heller’s masterpiece and measure up to it is a pipe dream.
The 1970 film version of Catch-22 was only watchable during the scenes when Orson Welles was on the screen, which wasn’t much.
I imagine the 256th squadron of the Army Air Force will be filled with blacks, Muslims and openly homosexual characters this time.
This is one of my all time favorite books. I’ve read it during three different times of my life, and each time it’s meant something different to me. It is virtually impossible to script and direct and still be faithful to the book, even the brilliant Mike Nichols couldn’t pull it off. I see a disaster in the offing. Unfortunately an entire generation will think of this hot mess as the “real” Catch-22.
George Clueless.
I remember reading that book many years ago, I think after I saw the movie and I was about 15 when I saw the movie. Having seen it since it is a difficult book to film and I don’t how how Clooney can do it and make it work. I see it as a disaster in the making.
Clooney. . . yawn.
And here I was hoping to play Master Sergeant Hans Schultz in a Hogan’s Heroes remake.
George Clooless.
You have to know something about the military to get the irony and humor of Catch-22.
Over the years, I started Catch-22 at least seven times.
Lost interest early-on during each attempt.
Never understood the allure of the book, despite its “significance.”
How thrilling.
I read the book in the Army and it was hysterical. Also read The Choirboys as a cop; equally hysterical. Guess you had to be there.
They are shooting at everyone!
And what difference does that make?
FU Gooney and your “GrabMyWood”, CA.
Capt Yossarian was the lead bombardier of the group. Not a pilot.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8rwDiAXKfY
The takeoff scene was one of the longest continually shot action sequences in moviemaking history. Several cameras, but one long non-stop action scene.
The story of the making of the movie was as good as the movie.
The only thing good about the 1970 movie was Paula Printess nude. That’s probably how her husband got the part. “You can be in the movie if your wife gets naked.
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