Clooney confirms his U.N.C.L.E. exit, Deadline says

George Clooney confirmed his exit from the planned movie version of The Man From U.N.C.L.E. in an interview with the Deadline Hollywood Web site. In the report, the actor says his age playeed a factor. Here’s an excerpt from a post by Pete Hammond:

I asked him about Deadline’s Mike Fleming’s exclusive report that he was dropping out of the planned Warner Bros. “Man From U.N.C.L.E. ” film directed by his frequent helmer and former partner Steven Soderbergh. Clooney indicated he would love to do it but physically just isn’t up to it. “I realize I’m 50 now and am going for neck and shoulder surgery soon and just can’t do it physically, ” he told me with a sigh.

To read the entire post, which is mostly about the 38th Annual Telluride Film Festival, just CLICK HERE. In the post, Clooney also says he’s skeptical that Steven Soderbergh, scheduled to direct the U.N.C.L.E. movie and an old friend of the actor, is really going to retire within a few years.

The Deadline also appears to partially confirm AN E ONLINE POST about why Clooney pulled out of the U.N.C.L.E. project. E Online, however, said Clooney’s decision was forced by back trouble.