Oscar winner Tom Hanks will star as President Abraham Lincoln in an upcoming film adaptation of George Saunders' novel 'Lincoln in the Bardo.' The project, directed by Duke Johnson, blends live-action and stop-motion animation to explore themes of grief and empathy. Hanks will also produce the film through his Playtone label.
Tom Hanks is set to portray the 16th U.S. President, Abraham Lincoln, in the film adaptation of George Saunders' bestselling novel 'Lincoln in the Bardo,' produced by Starburns Industries. This marks Hanks' first role as a U.S. President on screen, though he previously narrated and hosted the 2013 docudrama 'Killing Lincoln' and shares a distant familial connection to Lincoln on his maternal side.
The story focuses on Lincoln's relationship with his 11-year-old son, Willie, who died in 1862, delving into intimate aspects of the president's life amid the Civil War era. Unlike depictions emphasizing Lincoln's leadership in abolishing slavery or his 1865 assassination—as seen in Steven Spielberg's 2012 film 'Lincoln,' for which Daniel Day-Lewis won an Oscar—this adaptation centers on personal loss. It will feature an ensemble of characters, both living and dead, historical and invented, to examine 'themes of love, empathy and human capacity in the face of unimaginable grief.'
Hanks will produce alongside Gary Goetzman via their Playtone company. Saunders is adapting his own novel, with Oscar-nominated director Duke Johnson, known for 'Anomalisa,' directing and producing. Additional producers for Starburns Industries include Johnson, Paul Young, and Devon Young Rabinowitz. Executive producers are Steven Shareshian, Aaron Mitchell, and Saunders. This marks the first production from Starburns' recently announced film fund.
Production is scheduled to take place in London. Hanks, a two-time Oscar winner, has a history of portraying real-life figures, including Jim Lovell in 'Apollo 13,' Chesley 'Sully' Sullenberger in 'Sully,' Ben Bradlee in 'The Post,' Fred Rogers in 'A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,' and Walt Disney in 'Saving Mr. Banks.' He is represented by CAA and Greenberg Glusker. Deadline first reported the casting news.
