Anton Corbijn’s ‘The American’ Begins Filming With George Clooney

You never really NEED a good reason to run a pic of George Clooney about to turn Benny’s World of Liquor into Benny’s World of Blood.   Luckily for us, today we do have a good reason.   Clooney and director Anton Corbijn (‘Control’) have begun filming on the new thriller ‘The American’ in Italy.   The film is from Focus Features, and Focus CEO James Schamus made the announcement today.

Here is the film’s official synopsis:

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.

Rowan Joffe serves as screenwriter from the novel A Very Private Gentleman by Martin Booth.   Martin Ruhe and Andrew Hulme are rejoining their ‘Control’ director for the film as cinematographer and editor, respectively.

Focus’ Schamus had this to say about Corbijn and Clooney coming together:

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.

‘The American’ has no planned release date set.