Topic / Subject

Tom Hanks is set to play Abraham Lincoln in Duke Johnson’s adaptation of “Lincoln in the Bardo,” described as a live-action and stop-motion hybrid — with author George Saunders adapting his own novel. 

TL;DR

This is prestige bait with an art-film twist: Hanks as Lincoln, a grief-first story, and an “Anomalisa”-style filmmaker leaning into weird-beautiful craft. 

Key Details

The Hollywood Reporter reports Hanks will play Abraham Lincoln in “Lincoln in the Bardo,” directed by Duke Johnson.  Deadline describes the project as a live-action/stop-motion animation hybrid and notes Saunders is adapting the screenplay.  People echoes the casting news and frames Lincoln as a “distant relative” connection in its coverage.  No release date, distributor/streamer, or full cast has been announced in the initial reports. 

Breakdown

The pitch here isn’t “Lincoln biopic.” It’s Lincoln as a character inside a surreal, emotional story — which is why the mixed-media approach makes sense. If you’re doing “Bardo,” realism isn’t the only goal. 

Hanks is the obvious awards-anchor, but Duke Johnson is the “oh, this could get strange” ingredient. Pair that with the original author adapting, and it reads like a project that’s trying to be both emotionally accessible and formally ambitious. 

What to Watch Next

Casting for the ensemble voices/roles (this story lives on character chorus energy).  Which studio/streamer lands it and what that signals about release strategy.  First-look images that show how the live-action + stop-motion blend actually works.  

Sources

The Hollywood Reporter — Tom Hanks to Play Abraham Lincoln in ‘Lincoln in the Bardo,’ Adapting the Best-Selling Book

Deadline — Tom Hanks To Play Abraham Lincoln In ‘Lincoln In The Bardo’

People — Tom Hanks Will Play His Distant Relative Abraham Lincoln in Upcoming Movie

Comment

Does the live-action + stop-motion combo make you more excited — or nervous that it’ll be “too artsy” to land?