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Tom Hanks Looks Every Bit the Part as Mister Rogers in First Look at Upcoming Film

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US actor Tom Hanks attends the premier of The Pentagon Papers (The Post) on January 13, 2018 in Paris.PHILIPPE LOPEZ/AFP/Getty Images

Won’t you be his neighbor? Tom Hanks had big shoes to fill when taking on the role of Mister Rogers, but from this first-look photo, it looks like the actor more than lived up to the icon’s legacy.

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Sony released a shot of Hanks, 62, on the set of the upcoming as-yet-untitled biopic on Thursday, September 27. The Forrest Gump actor dresses the part in a red cardigan, khaki pants, a navy tie and blue sneakers as he appears to read lines inside his trailer. The Oscar winner even sports Fred Rogers’ gray hair and winning grin in the pic.

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Two-time Oscar®-winner Tom Hanks portrays one of America’s most cherished icons, Mister Rogers, on the set of TriStar Pictures’ Untitled Mr. Rogers / Tom Hanks Project. Lacey Terrell

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The film about the Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood star’s life, directed by Marielle Heller and written by Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster, will be released in October 2019. Rogers died in 2003 at age 74 after battling stomach cancer.

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Fans shared their overwhelmingly positive reactions to Hanks taking on the part when his casting was announced in January. “There isn’t anyone more perfect to play Mr. Rodgers than Tom Hanks,” one tweeted. “Like who doesn’t like either of those guys??”

Another Twitter user wrote: “Tom Hanks is going to play Mr. Rogers because of course he is! Who else to better portray a national treasure than another national treasure!”

TriStar Pictures president Hannah Minghella shared in fans’ excitement. “This is the perfect alchemy of talent coming together at the perfect time to remind us all of the transformative power of kindness and respect to heal and to unite,” she said in a statement to Variety in January. “We are proud to partner with Marielle, Tom and everyone at Big Beach to bring this inspirational true story to audiences all over the world.”

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