Clooney + Lindelof + Brad Bird = 1952?
Could be. We introduced you to the furtive extraterrestrial flick back in May, but Disney still claims the project has yet to be green-lit. Even so, Variety has it that none other than George Clooney is in negotiations to star in the CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND type tentpole. You into it or what?
The top secret sci-fi project, said to be about a man who makes contact with alien beings on Earth, was written by Damon Lindelof (PROMETHEUS, “Lost”) and Jeff Jensen. Lindelof is no doubt hard at work on the PROMETHEUS sequel, and has STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS and WORLD WAR Z already completed (see the trailer for the latter HERE).
As for Bird, you may know he just helmed the mega-successful MI4 last year, and has the S.F earthquake movie 1906 in the works as well. No telling which numerically titled flick he gets to first.
But for Clooney? Seems kind of strange, no? Dude picks his roles very wisely these days, and really hasn’t touched sci-fi since the ill-fated SOLARIS. He does return to the genre next year with GRAVITY, another reason he may ultimately pass on 1952. Still, with Bird and Lindelof knocking, it’s got to be hard to say no.
Thoughts?