The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece by Tom Hanks

The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece: A Novel by Tom Hanks

A sweeping, satirical love letter to filmmaking, comic books, and American culture across generations. In his ambitious debut novel, Tom Hanks crafts a layered, time-hopping narrative that explores the making of a modern superhero blockbuster—tracing its roots back to a postwar comic book and the lives it touched along the way.

About the Book

Spanning from 1947 to the present day, the story begins with a war-weary soldier and his impressionable young nephew. Decades later, that nephew—now an underground comic artist—immortalizes his uncle as a WWII hero in a gritty, heartfelt comic. Fast forward to the present: a Hollywood director discovers the comic and sets out to adapt it into a big-budget superhero film.

What follows is a behind-the-scenes odyssey through the chaotic, colorful world of moviemaking. Readers meet a cast of unforgettable characters: a temperamental leading man, a luminous actress, a visionary director, and the unsung crew members who bring the spectacle to life. Interwoven throughout are three original comic books created by Hanks himself, adding a meta-textual layer to the storytelling.

Perfect For

Fans of literary fiction, Hollywood satire, and graphic storytelling. This novel will resonate with readers who appreciate stories about creativity, legacy, and the messy beauty of collaboration across time and media.

Publisher

Knopf | ISBN: 9780525655596 | 448 pages | Published: May 9, 2023