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Since 2011 Tom Hanks is to portray the iconic Mattel toy character Major Matt Mason in a movie. An experienced scriptwriter brings some life back to the dormant project about the astronaut on the moon ...
The toy, for which Tom Hanks is known to date, rather rides through the endless prairie, instead of exploring the vastness of space. Hanks, the original voice of cowboy Woody in the "Toy Story" films, will soon be a character quite similar to Woody's friend Buzz Lightyear. Variety reports that the actor, revered primarily as Forrest Gump, is to take on the eponymous astronaut starring in "Major Matt Mason," a feature film about a cult Mattel action toy from the '60s.
Also, the acclaimed screenwriter Akiva Goldsman ("A Beautiful Mind") has been hired for the much-anticipated project that has worked with Hanks on the Thriller "Sacrilege" and "Illuminati".
WHO IS MAJOR MATT MASON?
The less well-known in Germany Major Matt Mason is a brave astronaut from the house of the toy manufacturer Mattel, who leads with some cronies a space station on the moon. Here he gets to deal again and again with nasty, but also friendly alien life forms as well as the problem of isolation in a people-unfriendly environment.
Hanks has already gained valuable experience in space as Jim Lovell in "Apollo 13". The announcement for the Mason project, which has been sleeping since 2012, is coming at a time when many stars are once again entering cinematic space, be it Brad Pitt in "Ad Astra" or Natalie Portman in "Lucy In The Sky".
At the moment, only Hanks and Goldsman have been confirmed for Major Matt Mason, although Hanks' confidant Robert Zemeckis ("Forrest Gump") has long been a talker for the 3D and motion-capture adventure. Whether Zemeckis is still on board, is currently unknown - as well as when the shooting should begin.
"Major Matt Mason" is produced by Paramount Pictures as well as the toy manufacturer Mattel himself. Tom Hanks is but from 12 February 2020 in "A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood" to see or currently as earthbound cowboy Woody in "A Toy Story: All stops on no command" in the English original to hear.