There's a rumor running all around the web that George Clooney is going to take on some controversial subject matter and film the story of Osama bin Laden's driver. It hasn't hit the trades yet, but according to The Observer, Smokehouse has bought the rights to Jonathan Mahler's The Challenge, a book about Salim Hamdan -- a Guantanamo Bay inmate recently sentenced to jail for his involvement with Osama.The project details Hamdan's capture and trial, which went all the way to the Supreme Court. The man has been in US custody for seven years, and has just received a sentence shorter than the time he had to wait to receive it -- five and a half years. Rumor has it that Clooney might also grab a starring role in the film playing US navy lawyer Lieutenant Commander Charles Swift, who defended Hamdan. I imagine it will be as much about Swift's story as it is about Hamdan (especially if Clooney takes the role). The case cost the lawyer his marriage, and got him passed over for a promotion.
Should all of this proceed, who would you cast as Hamdan?
1. I would have Naveen William Sidney Andrews play the part. He plays the character Sayid on Lost. I think he would play the role very well.
Posted at 8:01PM on Aug 11th 2008 by mike