Clooney makes TV return with Catch-22, 2 decades after ER
Wade has own FB reality show
LOS ANGELES, Nov 18, (RTRS): George Clooney will make his return to television in a serialized adaptation of “Catch-22,” Paramount Television said on Thursday, nearly 20 years after he left hit show “ER” to become one of film’s biggest names.
Clooney will direct and star in the six-episode series, based on US author Joseph Heller’s darkly comedic 1961 novel “Catch-22,” for Viacom Inc’s Paramount Television and Anonymous Content, shooting in early 2018, the studio said.
The show has not yet been acquired by a network for distribution but is likely to draw eager bidders given Clooney’s involvement.
“Catch-22” follows a US soldier named Yossarian during World War Two, who is infuriated that his own army keeps raising the number of missions that a soldier must complete to be released from duty. Yossarian’s only way to avoid the missions is to declare insanity, but the only way to prove insanity is a willingness to embark on dangerous missions, thus creating the novel’s absurd ‘catch-22.’
Clooney, 56, will play Yossarian’s commander, Colonel Cathcart. No other cast has yet been announced.
The actor’s move to television comes on the heels of Oscar-winning stars such as Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Julia Roberts, Robert De Niro and Michael Douglas, who have all taken on small screen projects in recent years.
More than 400 scripted TV shows are currently produced every year in the United States across traditional broadcast and cable networks and services such as Netflix, Amazon, Hulu and newcomer Apple, contributing to what many have said is ‘a new golden age’ of television.?
Clooney broke out as an actor on television series such as “The Facts of Life,” “Roseanne” and as part of the original cast of medical drama “ER” in 1994, playing Dr. Doug Ross. He left “ER” in 1999 and since then has carved a successful career with films such as the “Ocean’s Eleven” franchise, “Up in the Air” and “Gravity.” He most recently directed and co-wrote Paramount Pictures’ dark comedythriller “Suburbicon.”
Dwyane Wade is bringing a docu-series to Facebook’s Watch video platform that will provide a look at the Cleveland Cavaliers star’s life off the court.
The series, “BackCourt: Wade,” premieres Monday, Nov. 20, on Facebook, with new episodes to follow each Monday. The fiveepisode series was funded by Facebook and produced by Bob Metelus Studio. The show is an extension of Wade’s presence on Facebook, where he shares content and connects with his community of more than 11 million fans.
“I’ve enjoyed partnering with Facebook to share some of my off-the-court moments in this five part series,” Wade said in a statement. “I hope by sharing some of these candid moments that it helps inspire others to follow their dreams, take risks, challenge yourself to get through life’s obstacles, and take the time to appreciate and enjoy the life you work so hard to build.”
For Facebook, the show represents the social giant’s latest attempt to push users toward Watch to consume longer-form video (and see TV-style advertising) — and in this case, it’s banking on the star power of Wade to draw a crowd.
The launch of Wade’s show comes after Facebook has seen traction with “Ball in the Family,” following the family of Los Angeles Lakers rookie Lonzo Ball, from Bunim-Murray Productions. There’s also original series “No Script,” featuring NFL running back Marshawn Lynch, from Turner’s Bleacher Report.
Other Facebook-funded entertainment projects include unscripted show “Bill Murray and Brian Doyle-Murray’s Extra Innings” and drama series “Five Points” with “Scandal” star Kerry Washington on board as executive producer.
When Brian K. Vaughan was approached by Marvel Comics to write a comic book to bring in new readers, he hit on the idea of “Runaways,” the story of a diverse group of teenage friends whose bond grows stronger when they make a gruesome discovery.
Launched in 2003, the comic book soon became a fan favorite. Now streaming service Hulu has turned them into a television series, to be released on Tuesday.
“He (Vaughan) did so many things so well, starting with the idea that every teenager thinks their parents are evil. What if your parents actually were?” said Josh Schwartz, one of the show’s executive producers.
The story follows six teens who discover their parents are not only sacrificing people to a mysterious cult but are also key members of The Pride, an organization that runs the dark criminal underbelly of Los Angeles.
After running away, the teenagers investigate their parents and discover that they have inherited their special powers.
CBS has given a full season order to freshman drama “SWAT” and given freshman comedy “9JKL” an order for three additional episodes, the network announced Friday.
Inspired by the 1970s television series and the feature film of the same name, “SWAT” stars “Criminal Minds” alum Shemar Moore as Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson. He and his elite police unit are tasked with taking on some of the most dangerous criminals that Los Angeles has to offer. In addition to Moore, the series stars Stephanie Sigman, Alex Russell, Jay Harrington, Lina Esco, Kenny Johnson, Peter Onorati, and David Lim.
Aaron Thomas, Shawn Ryan, Justin Lin, Neal Moritz, Marney Hochman, Danielle Woodrow, and Pavun Shetty serve as executive producers. Sony Pictures Television produces in association with CBS Television Studios.
“9JKL” is a multi-camera sitcom based on the life of series star and executive producer Mark Feuerstein. In the series, Feuerstein plays an actor who moves home to New York after his divorce, living in an apartment sandwiched between his overbearing parents on one side and his brother, sister-in-law and their new baby on the other.