George Clooney wants Matt Damon to star in 'The Monuments Men'.

The Hollywood actor is roping in his old friend and 'Oceans Eleven' co-star Matt for a role in his new World War II period drama, which George will direct and star in.

Matt looks set to join an all-star cast including Daniel Craig, Bill Murray, Cate Blanchett, Jean Dujardin, John Goodman, Hugh Bonneville and Bob Balaban, Deadline reports.

The script was adapted by George and Grant Heslov from Robert M. Edsel's true-life book of the same name and recounts the final chapter of Hitler's rule as the Nazis begin to realise their fight is hopeless.

George will play an art enthusiast who leads a team of museum curators and art historians on a mission to recover valuable pieces stolen and vandalised by the Nazis, in a bid to restore German culture.

The film crew is the same as for the Ben Affleck-directed 'Argo', which George and his partner Grant produced and Alexandre Desplat scored.

Filming will begin in an undisclosed European location in January.

Matt can next be seen in Gus Van Sant's 'Promised Land' early next year, which he co-scripted. The environmentally-conscious drama has already been hotly-tipped for the Oscars.