Tom Hanks is preparing to step into one of the most iconic roles in American history, but not in the way audiences might expect. The two-time Academy Award winner is set to portray Abraham Lincoln in a cinematic adaptation of Lincoln in the Bardo, the acclaimed novel by George Saunders.
Unlike traditional portrayals of the 16th president that focus on wartime leadership or political strategy, this project zeroes in on a profoundly intimate chapter of Lincoln’s life. The story unfolds in the aftermath of his young son Willie’s death in 1862, as a grieving Lincoln visits the cemetery where his child is buried. What follows is a haunting and imaginative exploration of sorrow, memory, and the thin boundary between the living and the dead.
Saunders’ novel, which won the Booker Prize, is celebrated for its unconventional structure. It blends historical record with fictionalized voices of spirits lingering in a transitional afterlife known as the bardo. Bringing that layered narrative to the screen will require a bold artistic approach, and the filmmakers appear ready to embrace the challenge.
Director Duke Johnson, best known for the Oscar-nominated stop-motion feature Anomalisa, will guide the adaptation. The film is expected to combine live-action performances with stop-motion animation, a hybrid technique that could capture both the grounded humanity of Lincoln and the surreal, ghostly world that surrounds him in the story.
For Hanks, the role marks his first time portraying a U.S. president on screen, though he has built a career playing real-life figures with emotional depth and moral complexity. His involvement also extends behind the scenes, as he will produce the film through his company, Playtone.
Production is slated to take place in London, though the studio has not yet announced a release date. With literary prestige, experimental filmmaking, and one of Hollywood’s most respected actors at its center, Lincoln in the Bardo is shaping up to be one of the industry’s most intriguing literary adaptations in development.