Hollywood sensation George Clooney is all set to make a comeback to the small screen for the first time since ER two decades ago. According to Hollywood Reporter, The actor will not only star but also direct a six-episode, limited-series adaptation of Joseph Heller's iconic novel Catch-22 for Hulu.
Paramount TV and Anonymous Content announced the project last year and the announcement lead to a bidding war streaming companies. The series has finally landed with the streaming service Hulu. In the series, which is close-ended and will not have a second season, Clooney will star as Col. Catcart, the role played by Martin Balsam in director Mike Nichols' 1970 feature film adaptation of Heller's novel.
Set in Italy during World War II, Catch-22 tells the story of Yossarian, a US Air Force bombardier trying to fulfill his service requirements so he can go home. The novel explored the paradox of requirements where airmen who felt mentally unfit to fly were not obligated to do so, but anyone who applied to stop flying was sane enough to fly.
Clooney and his Smokehouse Pictures producing partner Grant Heslov will direct and be the executive producers of the show. The episodes were written by Luke Davies and David Michod, who will form the team of executive producers.
According to the daily, Paramount and Clooney plan to make Catch-22 a global story and will consider shooting on location in an attempt to be as accurate to the source material as possible. However, there is no confirmation from the streaming service regarding the series.
For Hulu, Catch-22 joins a list of originals that includes The Handmaid's Tale, The Looming Tower, The First, Castle Rock, Shut Eye, The Path, Runaways and more.