Los Angeles: Hollywood veteran Tom Hanks is in talks to star in the film adaptation of the bestselling novel 'Theo of Golden'.
Warner Bros. Pictures is in talks to acquire the feature film rights to the book, penned by author Allen Levi. The project is expected to be produced by Hanks along with Gil Netter and Gary Goetzman, while Levi will executive produce.
Set in the fictional town of Golden, the novel follows a mysterious man named Theo who arrives in the community and purchases pencil portraits of local residents displayed at a coffee shop.
Theo returns the portraits to their subjects, and his encounters with the townspeople gradually reveal their stories, relationships and personal histories. His interactions with the community also force him to confront a tragedy from his own past.
'Theo of Golden' began as a self-published novel in 2023 by Levi, a first-time author who had previously pursued a career in law before turning to music.
Simon & Schuster subsequently published the novel in October last year. It has sold more than 3.5 million copies in the US and has been published in 43 languages, becoming a No. 1 bestseller in countries including the Netherlands, Italy and the UK.
Hanks and Goetzman recently completed 'Greyhound 2', with Hanks returning as writer and star and Aaron Schneider directing. They are also preparing 'The Comebacker', directed by Marielle Heller. Hanks is set to star in the film as a New York Mets pitching coach.