George Clooney Set To Return To TV As Producer, Co-Director Of Hulu’s Catch-22 Adaptation

George Clooney is returning to television, but with a rapidly growing streaming service: Hulu.

George Clooney Producing Catch-22 Series News

The service has announced the 56-year-old Oscar-winner will serve as executive producer and co-director of its adaptation of Joseph Heller’s classic satirical novel, Catch-22. 

The adaptation — which does not yet have a release date — will be six-episode mini-series. Clooney has also reportedly expressed interest in playing Colonel Cathcart on the show.

Heller’s novel is set during Italy during World War II and centers around Capt. John Yossarian, a U.S. Air Force bombardier. The name of the novel also spawned the eponymous term used to describe a paradoxical situation in which one is damned no matter what choice one chooses to make.

This will mark Clooney’s first TV series regular role since NBC’s ER, nearly 20 years ago. Also serving as executive producers on Catch-22 will be Luke Davies (Lion) and David Michod (War Machine). Clooney’s longtime producing partner Grant Heslov (Argo, The Ides of March) is also attached to the series.

Heller’s Catch-22 was originally adapted into a 1970 Paramount feature film directed by Mike Nichols and starring Alan Arkin, Martin Balsam, Richard Benjamin and Bob Newhart. 

The series is reportedly set to film on location, by Clooney’s demand, so as to remain as faithful as possible to the original source.

The show is being handled by Paramount Television and Anonymous Content, who are behind Netflix’s 13 Reasons Why.

“Catch-22 is a rare story that has withstood the test of time, not only as a literary masterpiece, but as a story that still resonates in today’s political and social conversation,” Hulu’s chief content officer Joel Stillerman said in a statement.

“These are exactly the types of stories we want to be programming at Hulu, and we couldn’t be happier to partner with George Clooney, Paramount TV and this phenomenal group of creatives to bring one of the most well-known books of all time to viewers in a way that has never been seen before.”

Hulu has enjoyed burgeoning success thanks to critically acclaimed series like The Path, The Looming Tower, and The Handmaid’s Tale.