Tom Hanks, Paul Greengrass may reunite for drama News of the World

February 7th 2019, 9:14am

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

2013’s CAPTAIN PHILLIPS was one of the biggest recent hits for both Tom Hanks and Paul Greengrass, making over $100 million domestically and earning several Oscar nominations, including for Best Picture. It’s taken a long while for the two to come together for another project but now it seems the stars are aligning and word is the duo are in talks for another round with a new project set during the aftermath of the Civil War.

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Variety got the scoop that negotiations are being had for Hanks and Greengrass to reunite for an adaptation of the book “News of the World,” in which Hanks would play yet another captain in Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd. The book by Paulette Jiles tells the story of Kidd, a war veteran hired to bring a girl to her relatives in San Antonio. Kidnapped by Kiowa raiders a few years before, now rescued by the American army, the girl has forgotten most of the English language but the two form a bond across their travels to her new home. Luke Davies (LION) is behind the script, and while the deal for Hanks to star has yet to close, the negotiations are happening.

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Hanks and Greengrass have kept busy in the years since they worked together. Greengrass directed the latest Bourne movie with Matt Damon, 2016's JASON BOURNE, as well as the exceptional drama 22 JULY, which was released by Netflix last year. Hanks meanwhile is working on the Mister Rogers movie, A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, and he also starred in Steven Spielberg’s THE POST in 2017, which was also nominated for Best Picture.

CAPTAIN PHILLIPS is easily one of Greengrass’ best movies, and Hanks gives one of his best performances ever in the movie – so yeah – I’m down to see them work together again, especially in a western that calls to mind movies like THE SEARCHERS and TRUE GRIT. Though nothing seems final yet I feel like this is one the two are eager to make happen, so perhaps yet another Oscar-nominated work is on the docket.