George Clooney hires top cinematographer to direct Catch-22 series

George Clooney has recruited award-winning director and cinematographer Ellen Kuras to take charge of his upcoming Catch-22 adaptation.

Kuras will direct two episodes of the six-part Hulu series, with Clooney and his production partner Grant Heslov overseeing the remaining four.

She will also serve as a producer on the project, which stars Christopher Abbott as Yossarian and Clooney as Colonel Cathcart.

"Ellen is talented and smart and has a great sense of humour. Grant and I feel incredibly lucky to be working with her," George says.

"I’m very excited to be collaborating with such amazingly talented and creative people to translate this bold story to a modern audience," Kuras tells Deadline. "Catch-22 is timeless. It’s relevant. And importantly, it explores some of the current and political themes in our world today."

Kuras made her name as a cinematographer on films like Michel Gondry's Eternal Sunshine Of the Spotless Mind and she has picked up the Best Dramatic Cinematography Award at the Sundance Film Festival three times for Swoon, Angela and Personal Velocity.

She made her feature directorial debut with the documentary The Betrayal - Nerakhoon, which picked up Oscar and Independent Spirit Awards nominations, and an Emmy for Exceptional Merit in Nonfiction Filmmaking.

Catch-22 will be based on author Joseph Heller's beloved satirical 1961 novel of the same name. It was adapted for a 1970 Mike Nichols movie, starring Alan Arkin.