Tom Hanks and Mariel Heller have had seven frustrating years since their 2019 Oscar-nominated collaboration, “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.” The director and star are planning to reunite for an emotional baseball drama that has already attracted multiple studio bidders, Variety reported.
Hanks will star in the adaptation of the short story “The Comebacker,” which will be directed by Heller. Hanks and Heller will produce the film through their respective production labels. The source material is by Pulitzer Prize finalist Dave Eggers, whose works A Hologram for the King and The Circle both inspired the film starring Hanks.
Sources say rap superstar Bad Bunny and Oscar nominee Colman Domingo are in talks to star in the project. With acquisition talks ramping up at studios across the city, sources say Sony Pictures is in pole position to acquire the film, thanks to an attractive offer and, of course, Sony’s history with releasing “Beautiful Day.”
“The Comebacker” is the first in a series of short stories by Eggers included in a collection of stories titled “The Forgetters.” The story is about a fading sports journalist named Lionel whose passion for art and life is awakened by a pitcher called up from the minor leagues. The title refers to an injury sustained by a pitcher when a batter forcefully hits a ball back into the pitcher’s skull. After the injury, the pitcher displayed some unexpected behavior, including a poetic speech in which an article written by a journalist about Hanks resonated with readers across the United States. The short story centers around the San Francisco Giants, but a source said the script will revolve around the New York Mets.
It is unclear what role Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, aka Bad Bunny, will play in the movie. The Grammy Award winner is on a world tour through the end of July, but the timing of the film’s production is unclear. At the very least, the rapper’s interest will confirm Hanks’ much-celebrated appearance at Bad Bunny’s show in Australia in February. Domingo’s involvement is also at the “interesting” stage. Representatives for both companies did not respond to requests for comment.
