“Leatherheads” cast interviews and film clips

This Friday, George Clooney returns to the big screen with “Leatherheads,” a sports comedy in which he plays the lead and assumes the role of director. Set during the 1920s, the film centers on football legend Dodge Connolly, who desperately tries to coach his team back to the top of the game but fails to do so after losing his sponsor.

Hoping to save his gang before the entire league collapses, Connolly enlists the help of college football star Charter Rutherford (John Krasinski of “The Office”), a charming WWI hero who not only vows to bring the team back to its feet, but also leaves a lasting impression on rookie journalist Lexie Littleton (played by Renee Zellweger). Only problem: Connolly has a thing for Lexie himself, and he’s ready to do anything in his power to win her affections.

“Leatherheads” marks Clooney’s third directorial effort after the critically acclaimed “Confessions of a Dangerous Mind” and “Good Night & Good Luck.” This time, however, he digs into the genre of the screwball comedy, promising his audiences lightweight entertainment, eccentric characters and A-list actors.

In anticipation of the release, I did some research on the Web and gathered some interesting cast interviews and film clips, which you can check out below. In the first clip, Chuck the Movieguy interviews John Krasinski and asks him about his experience on the set. In the second video, he talks with George Clooney about the goofy dialogue in the film, and how tough it was to shoot in the mud. Following those two clips are the official trailer, and a cool widget with some film clips from the official site.