George Clooney’s anticipated return to TV will be a streaming experience.
The 56-year-old actor is set to star and direct Catch-22, a six-episode limited series for Hulu based on Joseph Heller’s novel. The series was written by Luke Davies and David Michôd.
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This will be Clooney’s first regular television role in nearly 20 years, according to Entertainment Tonight. He will play the role of Col. Catchart on the series for Paramount Television and Anonymous Content.
The story, set in Italy during World War II, follows Captain John Yossarian, a U.S. Air Force bombardier, and the other airmen in his camp, who attempt to maintain their sanity while fulfilling their service requirements so they can return home. The book was made into a 1970 film that was directed by Mike Nichols and starred Alan Arkin, Martin Balsam and Bob Balaban.
Grant Heslov, who co-founded Smokehouse Pictures with Clooney in 2016, is also set to direct and executive produce the series. Richard Brown and Steve Olin will executive produce on behalf of Anonymous Content. Filming is slated to begin early 2018.
According to Deadline, Catch-22 originated a couple of years ago when Brown, following the first season of True Detective, which he executive produced, sat down with Lion writer Davies and Animal Kingdom and War Machine writer-director Michôd, who are longtime friends, to discuss properties the Aussie duo would like to tackle in a similar limited series format.
Davies brought up Heller’s novel, which the trio agreed would benefit from a longer treatment than the two hours in Mike Nichols’ 1970s feature.
According to Deadline, Catch-22 is the third limited series ordered by Hulu, following the high-profile 11.22.63, produced by J.J. Abrams, and the upcoming 9/11-themed series The Looming Tower.
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