One of Tom Hanks' next film projects will be A Man Called Ove. According to Deadline, Hanks has been cast in the American adaptation of the 2015 Swedish comedy film.
Hanks will also be a producer for the film, along with Playtone partner Gary Goetzman. Hanks' previous work includes 1993's Philadelphia (directed by Jonathan Demme) and 1994's Forrest Gump (directed by Robert Zemeckis), both of which earned him an Academy Award for Best Actor. Some of his upcoming projects include Pinocchio (directed by Zemeckis), Asteroid City (directed by Wes Anderson), and Baz Luhrmann's Elvis biopic.
Just like the 2015 Swedish film, it will be based on the 2012 novel by Fredrik Backman. Marc Forster will direct the film. Forster's previous work includes 2013's World War Z (starring Brad Pitt), 2007's The Kite Runner (starring Khalid Abdalla and Zekeria Ebrahimi), and 2004's Finding Neverland (starring Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet).
"When I first read Fredrik Backman's novel, I fell in love with the notion that friendship has the power to shape a person's life," said Forster. "I can't wait to create a film with so much humor and heart." Forster will also be an executive producer for the film, along with Renee Wolf, through their production company 2DUX2. David Magee will write the film. Magee previously worked with Forster on Finding Neverland. His other previous work includes 2018's Mary Poppins Returns (directed by Rob Marshall), 2012's Life of Pi (directed by Ang Lee), and 2008's Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day (directed by Bharat Nalluri). He also co-wrote the script for Disney's upcoming live action remake of The Little Mermaid (also directed by Marshall).
SF Studios' Fredrik Wikstrom Nicastro will be a producer for the film. He was also a producer on the 2015 Swedish film version. "[Forster's] unique ability to tell human stories that strongly connect with audiences makes him the perfect filmmaker to helm this beloved story." said Nicastro. Rita Wilson will also be a producer. "The humanity of the story has resonated with people all over the world, including myself," said Wilson. "I have always looked for films that bring people joy and, hopefully, create a common experience of recognizing ourselves in others." The 2015 Swedish film version was directed by Hannes Holm. It starred Rolf Lassgard, Bahar Pars, Filip Berg, and Ida Engvoll. It became the highest grossing foreign language film in the U.S. in 2016. The film later went on to be nominated for two Academy Awards.
No official release date has been announced for A Man Called Ove. Production is set to begin this year.