Tom Hanks' baseball film 'The Comebacker' to be released on July 30 next year
Los Angeles, July 2
Tom Hanks' upcoming baseball film '' now has an official release date. Sony Pictures has announced that the film will arrive in theatres on July 30, 2027, The Hollywood Reporter said.
The film stars Hanks in the lead role and is directed by Marielle Heller, who has also written the screenplay. '' is based on Dave Eggers' 2024 short story of the same name.
In the film, Hanks plays a baseball pitching coach whose life changes after he is struck on the head by a ball while standing on the pitcher's mound. The project is being produced by Playtone and Leah Holzer in association with Major League Baseball.
The release date falls during the Major League Baseball season, when the race for the playoffs usually picks up.
This is not Hanks' first baseball film. He earlier starred in the 1992 classic alongside Geena Davis, Madonna, Lori Petty and Rosie O'Donnell. He played manager Jimmy Dugan, a role remembered for the famous line, "There's no crying in baseball."
Director Marielle Heller recently directed Amy Adams in . She is also known for films such as , and , which also starred Tom Hanks as Fred Rogers.
Hanks, a two-time Oscar winner, was recently heard once again as Woody in . His recent projects also include '' and '.'
— ANI
Reader Comments
For us in India, baseball isn't as popular as cricket obviously, but Tom Hanks has that universal appeal. Marielle Heller directing is a smart move - she did wonderful work on 'A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.' This could be a nice family watch, even for non-baseball fans.
Hanks playing a pitching coach who gets hit on the head? Sounds like a classic sports redemption arc. The release date being mid-season for MLB is smart marketing. I just hope the screenplay does justice to Dave Eggers' original story - his work is usually quite deep.
Honestly, I'm slightly skeptical. Hollywood keeps making these sports comeback stories, and they can get formulaic. But Tom Hanks rarely picks a bad project, so I'll give it a chance. Marielle Heller's track record (Can You Ever Forgive Me?) is impressive, so let's hope this has some soul.
Irrespective of the sport, a Tom Hanks film is always an event in our household! My parents love his work, and so do I. The concept of a coach's life changing after being hit by a ball reminds me a bit of 'The Miracle Season' or 'Invincible' type stories. Nice to see Hanks collaborating with Heller again after 'A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood'. 🙌
Waiting till July 2027 for release feels like a long time! But with Hanks and Heller at the helm, I'm expecting something quality. The fact that MLB is involved might mean some authentic baseball action. It won't match A League of Their Own nostalgia, but let's see.
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