Director Steven Soderbergh quitting film to paint

Director Steven Soderbergh is retiring from the film business to become a full-time artist. Yeah - and Joaquin Phoenix is really a rapper.

Amazingly, Soderbergh's change of career seems to be true. An interview he gave to The New York Times from his painting studio in Manhattan confirms that the Contagion director is hanging up his megaphone and swapping it for a paintbrush.

Rumours started when Matt Damon revealed in a 2010 interview that Soderbergh was quitting the business they call show.

Then back in March this year Soderbergh all but confirmed it when he said he had only two more movies to shoot - Liberace starring Matt Damon and Michael Douglas and Man From U.N.C.L.E. starring George Clooney.

"That's a great way to sort of step off," he said at the time, although he's since pulled out of Man From U.N.C.L.E.

So is he gone for good?

"I'm interested in exploring another art form while I have the time and ability to do so. I'll be the first person to say if I can't be any good at it and run out of money I'll be back making another Ocean's movie," Soderbergh told The New York Times .