George Clooney: The actor is filming a Grisham novel with Bob Dylan

George Clooney (59, "Ocean's Eleven") dares to write a novel by bestselling author John Grisham (65). The Hollywood star will bring the work "Calico Joe" to the screen as a producer – and possibly also as a director. The two-time Oscar winner is supported by music legend Bob Dylan (79, "Blowin 'in the Wind").

As "Variety" reports, Clooney produces the film adaptation of the baseball novel together with his business partner Grant Heslov (57). Both founded their production company Smokehouse Pictures in 2006, which now cooperates with Dylan's Gray Water Park Productions. In a joint statement, Clooney and Heslov state that author Grisham "wrote a beautiful story". "The chance to work with Bob to get her on screen is just fantastic."

Bob Dylan, who in 2016 became the first musician ever to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature, is also looking forward to working with Clooney and Heslov. "George and Grant see in this book what I see in it – a powerful story that will appeal to young and old alike," enthuses the 79-year-old. "People from all walks of life" would "be able to recognize themselves in it".

Pitch puts baseball talent into decades of coma

John Grisham's "Calico Joe" is about a momentous baseball pitch that in 1973 put a promising player into a coma for three decades, ending his career. The plot was inspired by the real tragedy surrounding Ray Chapman (1891-1920). The US Major League Baseball player died when a pitch hit him directly on the head. Author Grisham, who published the book in 2012, has had an aversion to aggressive baseball pitchers since he was a teenager.

George Clooney, who is also in discussion as a director for the drama, has already won an Oscar once with co-producer Grant Heslov. As a team of three, they received the golden boy in 2013 together with Ben Affleck (48) in the "Best Film" category for "Argo". In 2006, Clooney also won the Best Supporting Actor category for his performance in Syriana.