Hanks' latest film, Larry Crowne, was a bona fide flop earning less that $100 million. But the actor still pulls in plenty of money from voicing Woody in Toy Story. The third film was the highest-grossing animated movie of all time. Hanks will next star opposite Sandra Bullock in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.
Kevork Djansezian/Getty ImagesUniversal has optioned the movie rights to Erik Larson’s nonfiction best-seller In the Garden of Beasts for Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman to produce via the duo’s Playtone banner. Hanks is eyeing the project as a potential starring vehicle.
The book tells the true tale of William Dodd, the United States’ reluctant and mild-mannered ambassador to Berlin in 1933, and his daughter Martha, a vivacious socialite who had romantic affairs with a Gestapo official and a Soviet spy. Dodd and his family at first naively navigated life in Nazi Germany (Dodd’s daughter was excited when Hitler kissed her hand) but they slowly gained awareness of the mounting brutality around them.
PHOTOS: Actors Who’ve Played Politicians
The book, whose full title is In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror and an American Family in Hitler’s Berlin, was published in May.
This isn’t Larson’s first brush with Hollywood; the author is known for writing The Devil and the White City, another nonfiction tome in development by Leonardo DiCaprio and his Appian Way shingle. Larson is repped by Paradigm and Black Inc.
Beasts continues Hanks’ fascination with World War II-themed projects, and history in general. His Playtone was behind the Emmy-winning miniseries Band of Brothers, The Pacific and John Adams. The CAA-repped actor next stars in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.
Production co-president Peter Cramer will oversee for Universal.
Email: Borys.Kit@thr.com, AndyBLewis@gmail.com
Related Stories
More from The Hollywood Reporter
-
![]()
-
![]()
-
Taylor Swift
iHeartRadio Music Awards: Taylor Swift Honored With Innovator Award, Harry Styles Among Top Winners
![]()
-
thr news
Jonathan Majors Arrested and Charged With Assault, Lawyer Says Actor Is “Completely Innocent”
![]()
-
thr news
Jeremy Renner Shares Video Walking on Anti-Gravity Treadmill After Snowplow Accident: “Time for My Body to Rest and Recover”
![]()
-
![]()
