Following his recent Netflix sci-fi drama The Midnight Sky, George Clooney seems ready to return to space already. He will be producing and likely starring in a new live-action series of Buck Rogers for Legendary.

The Hollywood Reporter has broken the story about this interesting new development in a project being written by Brian K. Vaugh. Clooney and producing partner Grant Heslov will serve as executive producers through their studio Smokehouse Pictures. While THR points out that there have been no acting deals finalized for the series, Clooney is apparently lined up to take the starring role in the series. They also report that Legendary is hoping the show will be a launching pad for future movies and anime spin-off.

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Buck Rogers is based on a comic strip character who first appeared in 1928 and inspired many future sci-fi projects, including George Lucas' Star Wars. The titular character was a World War I hero who is trapped in a mining cave and held in suspended animation for 500 years. When he awakens, he is introduced to a new world rebuilt following a nuclear war and is recruited to become a new cosmic hero. The comic strip eventually spawned various radio shows and television programs with the most famous being the short-lived Buck Rogers in the 25th Century that ran on NBC in the 1970s.

Clooney recently starred and directed The Midnight Sky, which was his first movie role in four years. He had also made a return to television in a supporting role in the 2019 limited series Catch-22, which he also directed and produced. Should he choose to star in Buck Rogers, it will be Clooney's first major television role since his star-making role on the NBC medical drama E.R.

Buck Rogers seems like an odd project for Clooney to get involved with as well as surprising property for a potential franchise. It's likely that the public is largely unfamiliar with Buck Rogers apart from perhaps recognizing the name and Clooney is not usually known for these kinds of pulpy action projects. However, the movie could be a fun small screen adventure that may end up being a more adult-oriented version of The Mandalorian if done well. It would also be fun to see Clooney take on an action hero role at this stage of his career.

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Source: The Hollywood Reporter