George Clooney Returns to TV With 'Catch-22' on Hulu
George Clooney returns to the small screen after nearly two decades. The actor will star in the upcoming drama series "Catch-22," which recently received a six-episode order from the streaming site Hulu.
The actor will also direct the episodes from a script adaptation that Luke Davies and David Michod wrote. "Catch-22" will be based on the novel that Joseph Heller published in 1961.
The series will take place in Italy in World War II with Clooney playing the role of Colonel Chuck Cathcart. The character has ambitions of becoming a general and does what it takes to please the higher-ranking officers. Thus, he demands more from his men, much to the frustrations of B-25 bombardier Capt. John Yossarian.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
Yossarian will grow furious about the increasing number of missions that Cathcart assigns. If he'll abandon these missions, however, he'll be charged of a Catch-22 violation. Producers have yet to cast an actor for the role.
Hulu slated the filming for "Catch-22" at a later time this year. The series' launch date has not yet been determined.
Paramount TV and Anonymous Content originally tapped Clooney to direct the episodes along with Grant Heslov. The actor, however, signified interest in starring in the series as well since he's admittedly a big fan of the novel.
This isn't the first screen adaptation of "Catch-22." A movie with the same title premiered in 1970. It starred Alan Arkin as Yossarian and Martin Balsam as Cathcart. Jon Voight, Martin Sheen, Orson Welles and Bob Balaban were also in the film with Mike Nichols as director.
Clooney's last TV appearance was in 1999, where he played the pediatrician Dr. Doug Jones in the NBC medical drama "ER." The actor since shifted his focus in doing movies and also delved into directing Oscar-worthy films.
Clooney, who is best known for his movies like "Up in the Air," "The Descendants" and "The Ides of March," is also a staunch human rights activist.
