Tom Hanks is among the rare actors who have portrayed numerous real-life personas on screen effortlessly. He was remarkable playing Captain Chesley ‘Sully’ Sullenberger in Sully and brought quiet grace as astronaut Jim Lovell in Apollo 13. Now, he is set to step into the shoes of another real-life personality with immense history. 

Although details about the film have only begun to emerge, the announcement alone is already huge, given the legacy attached to the character. And this is something new and unprecedented for Hanks, too, despite his long history of playing characters based on real people and stories.

After portraying Walt Disney and Congressman Charlie Wilson, Tom Hanks is now set to take on one of the most important men in political history. He will play President Abraham Lincoln in a film adaptation of the acclaimed book Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders. 

Interestingly, what makes Hanks' decision to portray this character especially meaningful is his real-life connection to Abraham Lincoln. The actor is believed to be a distant cousin of the 16th president on Lincoln’s maternal side. And this is not his first project involving the 16th president. 

Earlier, he had narrated and hosted the docudrama Ki--- Lincoln. Apart from playing the role, Hanks, who recently returned to reprise his role in Toy Story 5, will also serve as producer under his banner, Playtone.

While most projects about Abraham Lincoln focus on what he has done throughout his career, this adaptation will take a different approach, as per Deadline.

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Based on the novel, which blended factual events with fiction, the film, Lincoln in the Bardo will be more of a personal and emotional journey that is worth knowing.

Tom Hanks’ new project is an adaptation of Lincoln in the Bardo, the acclaimed novel by George Saunders. The story follows President Abraham Lincoln and his relationship with his 11-year-old son, William Wallace 'Willie' Lincoln, and his grief following the death. 

The author wrote the book after he found that the president often visited Willie’s crypt at Oak Hill Cemetery to hold the body, as per historical accounts. But he also introduced a supernatural element with the word Bardo. It is a Buddhist word referring to the time between death and rebirth. 

While much of it is fictional, the novel shows the 16th president’s grief and pain over the loss of a loved one. And Hanks is perhaps the perfect actor to not just portray the larger-than-life character but also to bring his story to life.

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