Tom Hanks to play Fred Rogers in biopic

Oscar winning-actor Tom Hanks is set to play late TV personality Fred Rogers in the biopic You Are My Friend. Director Marielle Heller will helm the film that has been acquired by TriStar Pictures, based on a screenplay by Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster.

The feature, set to begin production in September, is inspired by a real-life friendship between Rogers and award-winning journalist Tom Junod. The cynical journalist begrudgingly accepts an assignment to write a profile piece on the beloved TV icon Mr. Rogers and finds his perspective on life transformed.

Marc Turtletaub and Peter Saraf will produce the film via their Big Beach Films, along with Youree Henley. Fitzerman-Blue and Harpster will executive-produce it alongside Big Beach's Leah Holzer, while Hannah Minghella and Shary Shirazi will oversee the project for TriStar.

Rogers, the star of the long-running children's TV series Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, was the subject of the documentary Won't You Be My Neighbor? that premiered at this year's Sundance Film Festival. He passed away in 2003.