Twitter is *SO* excited that America’s dad, Tom Hanks, is playing America’s favorite neighbor, Mr. Rogers
Just when it seems like the month of January has gone on for an eternity, it’s coming to a close with one of the greatest announcements of all time. ICYMI, Tom Hanks will play the iconic Mr. Rogers in an upcoming biopic. While Fred Rogers was certainly an inimitable figure in children’s programming with Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood teaching kids to be kind neighbors for over three decades, he was just as fascinating off-screen as he was on PBS.
The film, currently titled You Are My Friend, is inspired by the real friendship between journalist Tom Junod and the children’s television personality, established while Junod profiled Rogers for Esquire. The Diary of a Teenage Girl’s Marielle Heller is set to direct the film. As he worked on the now-legendary profile, which was first published in November 1998, Junod saw firsthand how Rogers’ on-screen commitment to teaching children to be kinder people translated into his everyday life, with Junod finding his own outlook on life changed for the better.
While many longtime fans of the late television personality are apprehensive to see a movie made about him — because how can you improve on a classic like Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood? — the casting of Tom Hanks as Rogers has gotten a lot of people on board.
Seriously though, America’s dad playing America’s favorite neighbor…
Could the casting be any more perfect?
Naturally Twitter was positively ~radiant~ over the news, and it appears most found the casting decision to be “perfect”:
When you see Tom Hanks trending, hold your breath and click,….and are relieved its because he will be playing Mr. Rogers…..Then it hits you that Tom Hanks is playing Mr. Rogers. pic.twitter.com/LSp2HlOk9A
— Nathan Platt (@nathanplatt) January 29, 2018
Tom Hanks is playing Mister Rogers and I am already weeping at the movie I haven't seen yet.
— Cyndie Randall (@CyndieRandall) January 29, 2018
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Tom Hanks is playing Mr. Rogers?! pic.twitter.com/okikT0ABbV
— .:RiotGrlErin:. (@RiotGrlErin) January 29, 2018
Hollywood nice guy Tom Hanks playing neighborhood nice guy Mister Rogers https://t.co/ENZnNkMUpG pic.twitter.com/1CrHzDGVZj
— Kelly Connolly (@_kellyQ) January 29, 2018
The news had Mindy Kaling totally shook…
And she was far from alone in that feeling.
Oh man, @marielleheller directing @tomhanks in this Me. Rogers biopic? I’m shook ⚰️
— Mindy Kaling (@mindykaling) January 30, 2018
Tom Hanks is playing Mister Rogers in an upcoming movie? So the best actor of all time is playing the greatest human of all time. Give it an Academy Award already.
— Sammo (@sammo413) January 29, 2018
I'm sorry but if Tom Hanks playing Mr. Rogers isn't the most perfect thing you've ever heard of, I don't think I can be friends with you anymore.
— sarah | #RememberingResistance (@seh221) January 29, 2018
Josh Gad found the light in the midst of a whole lot of darkness…
And many echoed.
As our democracy crumbles into what appears to be a dictatorship where our intelligence agencies are purged on a weekly basis, I take comfort in knowing that at least we are getting a Tom Hanks Mr. Rogers film.
— Josh Gad (@joshgad) January 29, 2018
Trying to think if there's ever been a more perfect casting than Tom Hanks playing Mister Rogers.
— Charlotte Clymer 🏳️⚧️🇺🇦 (@cmclymer) January 29, 2018
When I heard that @tomhanks is playing Mr Rogers in a new film about his life… pic.twitter.com/wbBECquk5h
— Carl Vibe (@Carl_Vibe) January 29, 2018
After playing Walt Disney, Tom Hanks is going to star in a Mr. Rogers biopic. In these terrifying times, only Tom Hanks can heal us and bring us together. He is the National Dad. https://t.co/Iq8tIPAmrn
— Jordan Zakarin (@jordanzakarin) January 29, 2018
And finally, Colin Hanks had the timeliest troll of all time…
The younger Hanks is set to appear as Mr. Rogers in an upcoming episode of Drunk History, set to air in February, and we can’t stop laughing at this caption.
Oh, did someone else get cast in a rival Mr Rogers project? I would hate to be them right now https://t.co/j8eedn1LBm
— Colin Hanks (@ColinHanks) January 29, 2018
While no release date has been set, we seriously can’t wait to see this incredible project come to life.
