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With the 1970 Mike Nichols film far in the rearview at this point, Hulu is now taking a stab at adapting Joseph Heller’s landmark novel, with Christopher Abbott stepping in for Alan Arkin’s original role as Yossarian, the WWII bombardier who just wants to go home.
The trailer is appropriately manic, tapping into Heller’s satire with its quick tempo, absurd situations, and gallows humor in the face of the world’s worst conflict. That titular “catch,” which the trailer might not be clear in, is a binding philosophy that straps the soldiers into their bombing runs and attacks. You don’t want to run missions? Good, you’re sane! Who would want to run missions? And if you’re nuts and you do want to hurl yourself through the air, dodging shrapnel and dropping bombs, well then you keep doing the job!
George Clooney performs as one of Catch-22‘s many machismo-fueled generals on a warpath, and is set to direct two episodes as well. Hugh Laurie, Kyle Chandler, and Daniel David Stewart, among others, round out the fleet of high-flying maniacs. With scripts by David Michôd (Animal Kingdom, The Rover) and Luke Davies (Lion), hopefully Hulu’s spin on the canonized classic will be a worthy of bearing the name.
If the above trailer is anything to go by, the up-tempo editing and pacing might just inject some life into the classic story. The kids need fast these days, so let’s give ’em fast!
Comprised of six episodes, Catch-22 will take to the skies May 17th on Hulu.