Sorkin Accepts Clooney’s ‘Challenge’

Posted by Dr. Cole Abaius (cole.abaius@filmschoolrejects.com) on February 3, 2009

Aaron Sorkin Working on The Challenge

For the past two weeks, I’ve been watching “The West Wing” almost non-stop since I bought the box set on a whim. A $250 whim. But a solid whim, because the writing is some of the best I’ve ever heard. Luckily, Aaron Sorkin is bringing his talent back to the screen even sooner than we thought.

Which is awesome, because his next project might have been that Untitled Facebook Project.

Variety is reporting that Sorking is putting pen to paper to write The Challenge for George Clooney’s production house. The film will focus on the courtroom drama surrounding a Salim Hamdan, Osama Bin Laden’s driver, who was held at Guantanamo Bay without a trail for five years and the two lawyers fighting to get him his day in court.

Clooney will direct and might star.

It sounds right up the alley of Clooney, which is great, but I’m worried that it’s a bit on the nose, maybe a little to close to the current political issue. One that isn’t completely resolved yet. Of course, it still may be a few more years before this thing get into production since Sorkin is also working on The Trial of the Chicago Seven. Still, it feels (gut reaction) way too soon for this.

What do you think? Can this story be done justice while it’s still going on?


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  • Sim Karnavalov
    I did the same thing with the West Wing a couple months ago. Unfortunately, it really drops off starting in Season Five. I think that's when Sorkin left.
  • Sorkin might be writing the 1st draft just so they own the rights to the story since there's no book or magazine article to option. Just a hunch. Who the hell knows.
  • I was reading all the hate and vitriol on AICN over this film and it made me sick to listen to so many people spouting opinion as fact.

    Personally I don't like George Clooney, add in that he is not Pro American and that pretty muchs cinches that I won't be going to this movie.
  • Not Pro-American? I usually stay out of the mudbath, but the guy IS American. His particular brand of patriotism might not be your cup of tea, but unless you know the guy personally, it's difficult to throw around phrases like that without appearing less than.
  • So let me get this straight, you can't be anti American if you are an American? Sorry Cole that doesn't make sense. You can't be for America and portray it as evil and corrupt in the same context.

    Let me take a shot at this and say that you think a person is more of a patriot if they bash America and denounce the president of the U.S.?
  • Other than "Burn After Reading" and "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" Clooney seems to pretty much play the same person in all his movies. Yes, some of these movies are good but I almost feel like he won't be in a movie unless he can wear a suit in it.

    This movie just looks like something that I will have zero interest in, regardless the writer.
  • The One Two
    Sorkin rules, but I only have one Clooney movie, From Dusk Til Dawn (which is definitely Tarantino's movie). He always plays the same character with that stupid grin and head tilt.
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