AMC working on series based on George Clooney's 'Good Night, and Good Luck'

Nov. 11 (UPI) -- AMC Networks has announced it opened a writers' room to develop a six-episode series based on George Clooney's valentine to 1950s broadcast journalism, Good Night, and Good Luck.

Clooney directed, produced and co-wrote the 2005 film, which starred David Strathairn as Edward R. Murrow, the revered host of the CBS news program, See It Now.

Clooney co-starred as producer Fred W. Friendly. The ensemble also included Robert Downey Jr., Patricia Clarkson, Frank Langella, Jeff Daniels and Tate Donovan.

No casting has been announced for the AMC version, which focuses on an ambitious young cameraman working on Murrow's show at a time network executives tried to force the staff to sign an anti-Communist Loyalty Oath touted by U.S. Sen. Joseph McCarthy.

Jonathan Glatzer -- whose credits include Better Call Saul and Succession -- is the showrunner.

Clooney and his longtime business partner Grant Heslov are executive producers on the project.

"As a massive fan of the movie, I didn't want to copy it, or just do a facsimile of it. So, we've expanded the world to show how the division and hysteria of the times seeped into every aspect of daily life," said Glatzer in a statement Thursday. "I suppose it's more of an origin story of where we are today."