Tom Hanks

Disney Acquires SAVING MR. BANKS, a Black List Script on the Making of MARY POPPINS

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: February 8th, 2012 at 8:04 am

Disney has picked up Kelly Marcel‘s Black List script, Saving Mr. Banks.  The story centers on how Disney persuaded P.L. Travers sold the studio the rights to make Mary Poppins, and how Travers was dissatisfied with aspects of the film, especially since the story was deeply personal to her.  Per Deadline, “Mary Poppins was highly personal, and reflected hardships in her own life and her relationship with her father, who died when she was 7.”

The movie became one of the biggest hits in Disney’s history, but Travers hated the animated sequences, and she refused to sell any of her other works to Disney (somehow, Disney managed to survive).  Present-day Disney is already looking to make the film a star-studded affair, and according to Deadline, “There have been rumors of the script being considered by Tom Hanks (for Walt Disney) and Meryl Streep (for Travers).  I don’t know if I can buy Hanks as an anti-Semite.

Emma Watson to Star in HARRY POTTER Director David Yates’ YOUR VOICE IN MY HEAD; Tom Hanks and George Clooney Eyed for Male Lead

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: February 1st, 2012 at 3:57 pm

Though the Harry Potter franchise has come to an end, a reunion of sorts is already in the works. David Yates, who directed the last four Potter films, has chosen the drama Your Voice in My Head as his next project, and now he’s in discussions with Emma Watson to star. The film is based on the memoir by Emma Forrest and centers on “a young woman who attempts suicide before being saved by a New York-based psychiatrist who’s dying of cancer.” It’s some pretty heady stuff, and I commend Yates for choosing a small, intimate character drama as his follow-up to the massive Potter franchise. Hit the jump for more, including who Warner Bros. is looking at for the male lead and the possibility of Ralph Fiennes or Bryan Singer directing the studio’s Alan Turing biopic The Imitation Game.

Screenwriter Graham Yost Says MAJOR MATT MASON, Starring Tom Hanks, Is a Tale of Moon Survival

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: January 18th, 2012 at 8:11 am

Tom Hanks may want to seriously consider ever going into space.  His character in Apollo 13 didn’t even make it to the moon, and he and his crew had to defy the odds to make it safely back to Earth.  Last summer, we reported that director Robert Zemeckis was in talks to re-team with Hanks for Major Matt Mason, a 3D film adaptation based on the popular 1960s astronaut action figure.  But it doesn’t sound like things will be any easier for Major Mason.  Screenwriter Graham Yost (FX’s Justified) revealed new details on the upcoming adventure film.

Hit the jump for more.

Tom Hanks to Create and Star in Animated Sci-Fi Series ELECTRIC CITY

by Dave Trumbore    Posted: January 8th, 2012 at 6:51 pm

In Yahoo’s first ever scripted show, Tom Hanks will not only play the creative force behind-the-scenes but will also lend his voice to the lead character. Electric City, an animated sci-fi series, is a production of Reliance Entertainment and Playtone, a TV and film company owned by Hanks and Gary Goetzman. About twenty episodes, each around four minutes long, should begin streaming this spring exclusively on Yahoo. While already a popular news outlet, Yahoo is looking to build franchises and hopes to start with Electric City. If successful, the property could find other avenues of media, such as games, home video, TV and perhaps even a feature release. The first look at Electric City will be at this week’s CES in Las Vegas. Hit the jump for more.

5 Clips from EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: December 30th, 2011 at 6:00 am

Warner Bros. has released five clips from Stephen Daldry‘s adaptation of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.  I found the film surprisingly moving and well-made, but I recognize that it’s one of the most divisive flicks this year.  The people who hate the movie really hate it and I can understand where they’re coming from.  The characters’ odd affectations will either push you out of the story to where you’re no longer willing to come back or they’ll intrigue you until the film has your full attention till the final frame.  Watching individual clips isn’t the best way to sell the flick since the scenes work better in context, which is why the trailers are so terrible.  But if you’re itching to see more footage from the flick, we’ve got your covered.

Hit the jump to check out the clips.  The film stars Thomas Horn, Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, and Max Von Sydow.  Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is currently playing in limited release.  It opens in wide release on January 20, 2012.

EXTREMLY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE Review

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: December 24th, 2011 at 5:21 pm

September 11^th, like any tragedy, can be easily exploited.  It can be exploited for profit, for political gain, and for an easy strike at your emotional soft spots.  But it can also be handled in a mature, thoughtful manner like Paul Greengrass‘ United 93.  It’s been over ten years since 9/11 and we must start accepting that the event can be used in a story that’s not directly about 9/11.  That’s an incredibly tricky proposition because of the easy route to exploiting our national tragedy, and that’s where Stephen Daldry‘s adaptation of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close seems to be going at its outset.  Daldry has to scale a mountain of negative expectations as we struggle to see how 9/11 could be absolutely essential to the story.  We must also contend with a painfully affected character played by a child actor gives a off-putting, robotic performance.  But Daldry’s brilliant direction ultimately brings the 9/11 plot point and the bizarre lead performance together to create an emotional finale.

LARRY CROWNE DVD Review

by Scott Wampler    Posted: December 23rd, 2011 at 6:12 am

For as long as I can remember, Tom Hanks has been the reigning champ of the romantic comedy genre.  Oh, sure, upstarts have come along every few years to try and overthrow the dude’s throne, but if you’ve ever seen Splash, Sleepless in Seattle, or Bachelor Party (What?  That’s not a rom-com?  Well, what about the donkey?), you know that Hanks is pretty much undefeatable in these kinda roles:  his everyman likability, his universal demographic appeal, his longstanding reputation as the nicest dude in Hollywood—it all adds up to a rom-com master.  This year’s Larry Crowne, recently released on DVD, will do nothing to tarnish that reputation…but it also won’t do anything to advance it.  Read on for the full review, after the jump.

Over 40 New Images from EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: December 11th, 2011 at 9:30 am

A large batch of new images from the upcoming drama Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close has been released. The film is based on the novel by Jonathan Safran Foer and tells the story of a nine-year-old boy who sets out to find the lock that fits a key left to him by his father, who perished in the 9/11 attacks. I’m a big fan of the book so I’ve been looking forward to this one for quite a while. The cast is great and director Stephen Daldry has a pretty nifty track record, so I’m hoping everything comes together well. The pic has already started screening, but it’s under a strict embargo after the whole Girl with the Dragon Tattoo fiasco (plus Scott Rudin is also the producer of Extremely Loud).

Hit the jump to check out the images. The film stars Thomas Horn, Sandra Bullock, Tom Hanks, Max von Sydow, Viola Davis, Jeffrey Wright, and John Goodman. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close opens in limited release on December 25th, then expands nationwide on January 20th.

Sony Sets March 22, 2013 for Paul Greengrass’ CAPTAIN PHILLIPS Starring Tom Hanks

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: December 9th, 2011 at 7:57 am

Sony Pictures will release Paul Greengrass‘ Captain Phillips (previously titled Maersk Alabama) on March 22, 2013.  The movie stars Tom Hanks as real life ship captain Richard Phillips who allowed himself to be taken hostage by Somali pirates in exchange for the safety of his crew.  Phillips’ memoir—A Captain’s Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALs, and Dangerous Days at Sea—recounts his three days as their captive and his dramatic rescue.  Billy Ray wrote the screenplay, and Scott Rudin, Michael De Luca, Dana Brunetti, and Kevin Spacey (the team behind The Social Network) will produce.  While it seemed like this could have been prime awards bait, the March release date makes Captain Phillips look like steady genre fare along the lines of Greengrass’ Green Zone, which was also based on real events.

Captain Phillips currently shares its March 22, 2013 release date with the DreamWorks Animation movie The Croods featuring the voices of Ryan Reynolds, Emma Stone, and Nicolas Cage.  Hit the jump for a synopsis of A Captain Duty’s.

New Trailer for EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE Starring Sandra Bullock

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: December 5th, 2011 at 5:52 pm

A new trailer for director Stephen Daldry’s (The Reader) adaptation of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close has been released. Based on the book by Jonathan Safran Foer, the film follows nine-year-old Oskar Schell (newcomer Thomas Horn) who sets out to find the lock that fits a key left to him by his father who perished in the 9/11 attacks. This trailer gets into the plot a bit more, but it plays little too heavy-handed. Having read the book, I can say that the film undeniably rests on Horn’s performance. He seems to have the peculiarities of the odd Schell down, so I’m hopeful he’s got the goods. Von Sydow also looks promising in a very crucial (and sweet) role. This is an adaptation that could end up being fantastically original and moving, or terribly sappy and maudlin. Daldry has a pretty great track record, so I’m really hoping it’s the former.

Hit the jump to watch the trailer. The film also stars Sandra Bullock, Tom Hanks, Max von Sydow, Viola Davis, Jeffrey Wright, and John Goodman. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close opens in limited release on December 25th, then expands nationwide on January 20th.

Tom Hanks Developing WWII Drama IN THE GARDEN OF BEASTS for Universal

by Dave Trumbore    Posted: November 28th, 2011 at 6:21 pm

Ever the history buff, Tom Hanks is looking to adapt Erik Larson’s World War II nonfiction best-seller In the Garden of Beasts for Universal. Based on the real life accounts of William Dodd, the US Ambassador to Berlin in 1933, In the Garden of Beasts takes place during Hitler’s mounting atrocities in Nazi Germany. Dodd’s daughter, Martha, becomes swept up in her newfound flamboyant lifestyle and has several liaisons with members of the upper echelon of the Third Reich. At first taken in by the enthusiasm for restoration by German nationals, the family soon comes to realize the horrors behind the Nazi movement. Hit the jump for more on In the Garden of the Beasts.

First Look at New TOY STORY Short, SMALL FRY [Updated]

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: November 11th, 2011 at 7:19 am

The first image from the new Toy Story short, Small Fry, has popped up online.  We reported in August that short film would have Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) getting left behind at a fast-food restaurant and trying to find his way back home with the help of less popular, Happy Meal-like toys.  It turns out there’s a bit more to it because one of the Happy Meal-toys kidnaps Buzz and tries to take over his play-filled existence.  Jane Lynch (Glee) will make her Pixar debut as the Happy Meal toys’ narcissistic support-group leader Neptuna.

Hit the jump to check out the full image and adorably tiny Lightyear feet.  The seven-minute short will be attached to The Muppets, which opens November 23rd.  Toy Story: Small Fry also features the voices of Tom Hanks, John Ratzenberger, and Joan Cusack. [We have added a new image, and updated the story with a hi-res version of the previously-released image]

HBO Developing College Athlete Comedy PLAYERS with Tom Hanks, Medical Drama WICHITA with Alan Ball

by Dave Trumbore    Posted: October 22nd, 2011 at 12:44 pm

HBO has recently landed some heavy hitters with the incomparable Tom Hanks and the bankable Alan Ball both developing projects for the network. Hanks, teamed with long-time producing partner Gary Goetzman, will reunite with the network for Players, a half-hour comedy following the lives of college athletes.

Ball is switching tactics from the campy, sexy success of True Blood to develop Wichita, an hour-long medical drama about a Kansas abortion doctor caught at the nexus of a political, cultural and ethical conflict. Ball will executive produce the project, based on the life of Dr. George Tiller, along with Devin Friedman, who authored the related GQ article “Savior vs. Savior.” Hit the jump for more on both projects.

Mark Romanek the Frontrunner to Direct Adaptation of Dan Brown’s THE LOST SYMBOL

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: October 19th, 2011 at 2:00 pm

I don’t know if this news should make me excited or sad.  Deadline reports that talented director Mark Romanek (Never Let Me Go) is the frontrunner to helm the adaptation of Dan Brown’s latest Robert Langdon novel The Lost Symbol.  Ron Howard directed the prior Langdon books The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons.  Both movies took themselves far too seriously and also suffered from being based on awful books.  I haven’t picked up The Lost Symbol because I don’t really care what exposition machine and master of trivial history Robert Langdon has to spew for 528 pages.

Hit the jump for more on the film along with a synopsis.

First Trailer and Poster for EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE

by Brendan Bettinger    Posted: September 28th, 2011 at 5:51 pm

Warner Bros. has released the first trailer for Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Jonathan Safran Foer.  The movie centers on Oskar, a boy who is convinced his father, who died in the 9/11 attacks, hid a final message somewhere in the city: “Oskar begins searching New York City for the lock that fits a mysterious key he found in his father’s closet.”  Thomas Horn, Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, Max Von Sydow, Viola Davis, John Goodman, Jeffrey Wright, and James Gandolfini star in the film directed by Stephen Daldry (The Reader).  Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close opens in limited release on December 25, and expands wide on January 20, 2012.  Watch the trailer after the jump.

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