- Tom Hanks will star in Warner Bros' film adaptation of Allen Levi's novel Theo of Golden
- The novel was self-published in 2023 before Simon & Schuster acquired publishing rights
- Hanks will also serve as an executive producer alongside Levi and other producers
Tom Hanks is set to bring another popular book character to the big screen. Warner Bros. is reportedly working on a film adaptation of Allen Levi's bestselling novel Theo of Golden, with Hanks in the lead role.
The book has had an unusual journey. It was first released as a self published novel in 2023 and slowly gained more readers before attracting the attention of major publishers. Simon & Schuster later signed a deal with Levi to publish the book. Now, Warner Bros. is reportedly close to finalising a movie deal for the story.
According to Deadline, Tom Hanks is expected to star as Theo and also serve as an executive producer. He'll be joined by Levi, Gil Netter, Gary Goetzman, Jesse Ehrman and Sheila Walcott.
The story is set in a fictional town called Golden, where a man named Theo arrives and buys pencil portraits of local people displayed in a coffee shop. Instead of keeping the artwork, Theo visits the people in the portraits and gives the drawings back to them.
As he meets each person, he learns more about their lives, relationships and personal stories. These meetings slowly become an important part of Theo's own journey. They also help him face and understand a painful tragedy from his past.
Tom Hanks has plenty of experience bringing popular book characters and stories to life. He has starred in several film adaptations, including Forrest Gump, The Green Mile, Catch Me If You Can, News of the World, The Polar Express, The Da Vinci Code, Angels & Demons and Inferno.
Hanks and producer Gary Goetzman have several projects in development. The pair recently completed Greyhound 2, directed by Aaron Schneider. They are also working on The Comebacker, which will be directed by Marielle Heller.