Channel 4 has set a June UK premiere date for George Clooney’s much anticipated ‘Catch-22‘ mini-series it was revealed today.
Based on the celebrated novel by Joseph Heller, ‘Catch-22’ follows the story of Captain John Yossarian (Christopher Abbott – ‘Girls’), a US air force soldier in World War II who can’t understand why thousands of people who have never met him want to kill him. Yossarian is a rebellious and fearful anti-hero, who is trying to survive the war against the odds. Desperate to impress his superiors, Colonel Cathcart (Kyle Chandler – ‘Bloodline’) keeps raising the numbers of the missions his men have to fly. Yossarian is driven half-mad by his will to live. He wants to complete his service and leave, but his efforts are blocked by Catch-22; a ridiculous bureaucratic rule which states that pilots don’t have to fly if they are certified insane, but unfortunately for the men the same rule also states that being driven mad by fear is a rational emotion, which therefore means the individual is sane and able to carry on with the mission.
The cast includes Christopher Abbott (Yossarian), Kyle Chandler (Colonel Cathcart), George Clooney (Scheisskopf), Hugh Laurie (Major de Coverley), Giancarlo Giannini (Marcello), Daniel David Stewart (Milo), Rafi Gavron (Aarfy), Austin Stowell (Nately), Graham Patrick Martin (Orr), Gerran Howell (Kid Sampson), Jon Rudnitsky (McWatt), Kevin J. O’Connor (Korn), Pico Alexander (Clevinger), Tessa Ferrer (Nurse Duckett), Lewis Pullman (Major Major), Josh Bolt (Dunbar), Jay Paulson (Chaplain) and Julie Ann Emery (Marion).
‘Catch-22’ is executive produced by George Clooney and Grant Heslov (‘Argo’, ‘The Monuments Men’) on behalf of Smokehouse Pictures, along with Richard Brown and Steve Golin on behalf of Anonymous Content. Luke Davies (‘Beautiful Boy’, ‘Lion’) and David Michôd (‘Animal Kingdom’, ‘War Machine’) are co-writers and executive producers for the series. Clooney directs along with Heslov and Ellen Kuras (‘The Umbrella Academy’, ‘Legion’, ‘Ozark’), with each directing two episodes.
‘Catch-22‘ premieres Thursday, 20th June 2019 at 9pm on Channel 4.
