Tom Hanks is set to play Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, in Starburns Industries’ live-action/stop-motion animation hybrid movie Lincoln in the Bardo, based on George Saunders’ New York Times bestseller and 2017 Booker Prize winner.

The story will offer a unique blend of stop-motion animation and live action to explore one of the most intimate moments of Lincoln’s life, his relationship with his recently deceased 11-year-old son  The movie will explore themes of love, empathy and human capacity in the face of grief as the story unfolds through an ensemble of characters, both living and dead, historical and invented.

George Saunders has been tapped to adapt his novel for the big screen, with Oscar-nominated filmmaker Duke Johnson (Anomalisa) set to direct and produce the film. The film will be the first Starburns project to go into production since the studio announced its film fund earlier this month. Starburns Industries was founded in 2010 by Johnson, Stamatopoulos, Fino, and Dan Harmon and is known for being a stop-motion and 2D animation studio. Its first project was the Emmy-winning Community Christmas special, Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas, which was written by Stamatopoulos and Harmon and directed by Johnson.

Johnson, Paul Young and Devon Young Rabinowitz are producing Lincoln in the Bardo for Starburns Industries. Steven Shareshian, Aaron Mitchell and Saunders will serve as EPs. Hanks will also produce through his Playtone label with partner Gary Goetzman.

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