GEORGE CLOONEY - CLOONEY AND SODERBERGH SEPARATE

GEORGE CLOONEY and producing partner STEVEN SODERBERGH have decided to close down their Section Eight production company, which they founded six years ago (00). The SYRIANA star will officially part ways with Soderbergh on 1 August (06) to launch Smoke House, a production company he is forming with his GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK collaborator GRANT HESLOV. Section Eight will continue to produce Clooney's upcoming movies, including OCEAN'S THIRTEEN and THE GOOD GERMAN, both directed by Soderbergh. Soderbergh has said he would like to focus more on film-making and less on the film development and producing process. Clooney and Heslov co-wrote and produced Good Night, And Good Luck together and will both run Smoke House, which is named after a long-time Burbank, California, restaurant across the street from the company's offices on the Warner Bros studio lot.