# Lincoln in the Bardo: Tom Hanks Is Playing Abraham Lincoln — And They’re Actually Related

URL: https://technosports.co.in/lincoln-in-the-bardo-tom-hanks-is-playing/  
Published: 2026-02-25  
Updated: 2026-02-25  
Author: Reetam Bodhak

This is one of those casting announcements that just feels *right* the moment you hear it. **Two-time Oscar winner Tom Hanks** has been cast to play **President Abraham Lincoln** in director Duke Johnson’s upcoming film *Lincoln in the Bardo* — and in a twist that could only happen in Hollywood, Hanks and Lincoln are actually **distant relatives**.

Based on George Saunders’ Booker Prize-winning 2017 novel, this is shaping up to be one of the most emotionally ambitious films in years.

## Lincoln in the Bardo — Key Details at a Glance

| Detail | Info |
| --- | --- |
| **Film Title** | Lincoln in the Bardo |
| **Director** | Duke Johnson (*Anomalisa*) |
| **Lead Actor** | Tom Hanks as Abraham Lincoln |
| **Based On** | George Saunders’ 2017 Booker Prize-winning novel |
| **Production Style** | Live-action + Stop-motion animation hybrid |
| **Production Studio** | Starburns Industries |
| **Producers** | Tom Hanks & Gary Goetzman (Playtone) |
| **Screenplay** | George Saunders (adapting his own novel) |
| **Filming Location** | London, England |
| **Release Date** | TBA |

## The Story: Lincoln’s Most Personal Chapter

![Lincoln](https://technosports.co.in/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/image-1754.png)

Unlike Steven Spielberg’s 2012 biopic *Lincoln* — which focused on the Civil War and the abolition of slavery — *Lincoln in the Bardo* takes an entirely different, deeply intimate approach. The story unfolds during a single agonising night in 1862, as a grieving Abraham Lincoln visits the grave of his **11-year-old son Willie**, who has just died.

In certain spiritual traditions, the [bardo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bardo) is the liminal space between death and what comes next — and the film uses this surreal setting to explore grief, love, and the extraordinary human capacity to endure loss. The narrative unfolds through an ensemble of characters, both living and dead, historical and invented.

Director **Duke Johnson** blends live-action with stop-motion animation — a technique he perfected with *Anomalisa* — to bring Saunders’ acclaimed novel to life in a way no straightforward drama ever could.

## Why Tom Hanks Was Born for This Role

Hanks is already a distant relative of Lincoln — both sharing the family tree through Lincoln’s mother, Nancy Hanks. Beyond the blood connection, Hanks brings something no other actor quite can: America’s most trusted face delivering its most heartbreaking story. He’s played real-life figures before — Walt Disney, Chesley Sullenberger — but this marks his **first time portraying a US President on screen**.

He also serves as producer through his **Playtone** label alongside Gary Goetzman, while Saunders himself serves as executive producer and screenwriter, ensuring the source material’s soul remains intact.

For more major Hollywood casting news and upcoming film updates, check out our [entertainment tracker at TechnoSports](https://technosports.co.in) and our [latest Hollywood movies coverage](https://technosports.co.in).

## FAQs

### **Q: Are Tom Hanks and Abraham Lincoln really related?**

Yes — according to Ancestry.com, Hanks is a distant cousin of Lincoln through Lincoln’s mother, Nancy Hanks, making this casting both poetically and genealogically perfect.

### **Q: What is Lincoln in the Bardo about?**

The film centers on President Lincoln grieving the death of his 11-year-old son Willie in 1862, told through a blend of live-action and stop-motion animation with both historical and supernatural characters in the “bardo” — the spiritual realm between life and death.