Tom Hanks’ New Baseball Film Ignites Hollywood Bidding War

Tom Hanks is suiting up for another trip to the baseball field, and honestly, it makes sense — he hasn’t played ball on screen since all the way back in 1992’s A League of Their Own. This time, he’s teaming up again with Marielle Heller, who last directed Hanks as Mr. Rogers in A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood. If you liked that collaboration, you’re in luck — and apparently, you’re not the only one, because studios are circling like hungry agents at contract time.

The Lowdown on 'The Comebacker'

The next Hanks/Heller joint is called The Comebacker, and it’s being billed as a “poignant baseball dramedy.” (That’s Variety’s phrase, but yeah, a drama-comedy about America’s pastime.) What little we know about the plot: it centers on a pitcher whose life and career get a sharp left turn after he gets beaned in the head during a game. That story comes from author Dave Eggers — yep, the same Eggers who gave us the books that got turned into Hanks vehicles A Hologram for the King and The Circle. Neither of those movies exactly lit the world on fire, but this one’s got much more of an “audience-friendly” pitch.

The Eggers short story is originally from his The Forgetters collection and tells the tale partly through a journalist’s perspective who gets pulled into the pitcher’s world. Heller has tweaked things for the screen adaptation: now, Hanks will be playing a pitching coach instead of the reporter — so, expect an extra layer of “heartwarming sports mentor” in the mix.

Notable Changes (and a Mildly Amusing Irony)

• Team Switcheroo: In Eggers’ version, our pitcher plays for the San Francisco Giants. In the movie, he’ll be with the New York Mets. That’s a bit funny because both Hanks and Heller are Bay Area natives — and Hanks used to sell peanuts at Oakland A’s games as a teen. Maybe rooting for the Mets feels like acting?
• Character Focus: Hanks as a pitching coach instead of centering on the reporter from the short story.

Who Else Might Step Up to Bat?

No word yet on who’s actually playing the pitcher, but there are some interesting names in the rumor mill:

Colman Domingo — If ever there was a guy seizing his moment, it’s Domingo. He’s riding high off back-to-back Best Actor Oscar nominations (Rustin, Sing Sing).

Bad Bunny — Yes, that Bad Bunny: globally dominant musician, Super Bowl halftime ratings magnet, the works. Will he be able to swing a bat in the big leagues? We’ll see.

Where Is This Thing Actually Happening?

Multiple studios want in, but Sony Pictures is reportedly in the lead. Why? Well, money usually talks — plus, Sony is already the home field for the Hanks-Heller pair thanks to A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood. A good working relationship can move a lot of mountains (and contracts).

“Active talks” are ongoing with several studios, with Sony as the “odds-on favorite.”

Bonus Hanks: The 'Greyhound' Sequel

While you wait for more news on The Comebacker, Hanks stans have another sequel incoming. Greyhound 2 is wrapping up production down in Australia. There’s still no official release date, as Apple is keeping things pretty quiet, but Hanks is back with Stephen Graham, Rob Morgan, and Elisabeth Shue from the first film. So, yeah, he’s keeping busy — just don’t expect him to stay off the baseball field for much longer.