TriStar has released a first look image of Tom Hanks in character as Mr. Rogers.
The first official image was released Thursday and the transformation simply could not be more accurate. Hank was of course sporting Mr. Rogers’ iconic look: a red sweater, a dress shirt and tie, taupe trousers, and a pair of blue plimsoll shoes.
News of Hanks’ participation in the biopic was first reported in January. The film is based on the true story of the friendship between the Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood host and journalist Tom Junod.
The Marielle Heller helmed feature is currently shooting in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
“It’s a movie that’s largely focused on a reporter and [Mr. Rogers’] relationship to his life, and how [the reporter’s] whole world changes when coming in contact with Fred Rogers,” said Heller.
“It’s a story for our times, a story about kindness and family connection and trying to tap into our better self. God knows we need that right now!” she continued. “In the research for the movie, the writers found that more people than they could possibly count credited Mr. Rogers with changing their lives…. [It’s about] one man who’s in a critical point in his life — becoming a new father, having issues with his own father — and meeting Mr. Rogers to write a piece about him, thinking it’s going to be a bit of a puff piece, but it ends up changing his entire life.”
Penning the script are Transparent producers Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster.
The still untitled film opens in theaters on October, 2019.
Tom Hanks is Mister Rogers, coming to a neighborhood near you October 2019. pic.twitter.com/2TP3eiPUCx
— Sony Pictures (@SonyPictures) September 27, 2018
