Academy Award winner and jack of all trades actor George Clooney is going back in front of the camera once again starring in Anton Corbijn’s “The American”. Focus Features’ most recent suspecnse thriller begins filming in Italy, which is actually based off of a novel called A Very Private Gentlemen.
Alone among assassins, Jack (played by Mr. Clooney) is a master craftsman. When a job in Sweden ends more harshly than expected for this American abroad, he vows to his contact Larry (Bruce Altman of this fall’s Peter and Vandy) that his next assignment will be his last. Jack reports to the Italian countryside, where he holes up in a small town and relishes being away from death for a spell. The assignment, as specified by a Belgian woman, Mathilde (Thekla Reuten of Focus’ award-winning In Bruges), is in the offing as a weapon is constructed. Surprising himself, Jack seeks out the friendship of local priest Father Benedetto (Italian screen and stage veteran Paolo Bonacelli) and pursues romance with local woman Clara (Italian leading lady Violante Placido). But by stepping out of the shadows, Jack may be tempting fate.
Focus senior vice president, production Kahli Small and creative executive Michael Pruss are supervising the project for president of production John Lyons. The latter feature’s cinematographer and editor, Martin Ruhe and Andrew Hulme, respectively, are rejoining Mr. Corbijn on The American; Mark Digby and Suttirat Larlarb, both of Slumdog Millionaire, are production designer and costume designer, respectively.
Mr. Schamus said, “The combination of a visionary artist of the stature of Anton Corbijn with the great George Clooney is, for all of us at Focus, a movie marriage made in heaven.”
Anton Corbijn has been on the scene for years, his most notable work involves his vast array of music videos more so the ones he did for bands like The Killers, Coldplay, U2 and Depeche Mode. The international director’s recent feature is the 2007 biopic Control, based off of the life of Joy Division singer Ian Curtis. No sold release date for this Clooney feature has been set, but keep on here for more news on this and everything happening in Hollywood here at Atomic Popcorn.
