Entertainment Movies See Tom Hanks as a Grumpy Widower Who Finds Unlikely Friendships in 'A Man Called Otto' First Look A Man Called Otto is in select theaters Dec. 25 then everywhere Jan. 13 By Tommy McArdle Tommy McArdle Twitter Tommy McArdle is a digital news writer at PEOPLE covering stories across all of the brand's verticals. Prior to joining PEOPLE, Tommy covered the entertainment industry at Looper and sports at The Sporting News and Boston.com. He graduated from Emerson College in 2019. People Editorial Guidelines Published on October 20, 2022 05:00 AM Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Niko Tavernise Tom Hanks is exploring the power of friendship. Directed by Marc Forster (Finding Neverland, Christopher Robin), A Man Called Otto is based on Swedish author Fredrik Backman's 2012 novel A Man Called Ove. Here, Hanks plays Otto Anderson, a grumpy widower who strikes up an unlikely friendship with his new next-door neighbors. In the first photos from the film, shared exclusively with PEOPLE, Hanks' character stands beside Marisol (played by Mariana Treviño), the "quick-witted and very pregnant" neighbor he becomes friends with, ultimately turning "his world upside-down," per a synopsis. "The way you treat your own neighbors, the way people can come together in any time of crisis happens over and over again. Anytime there's a tornado, a flood or something that hits a very particular community, everybody comes out and helps," Hanks tells PEOPLE. "A Man Called Otto is a movie about community and a movie about family," he adds. Tom Hanks Writes First Novel Inspired by 'Important Lessons' from His Hollywood Experiences Niko Tavernise Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up to date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Both Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson are producers on the new movie, which also stars Rachel Keller and Manuel Garcia-Rulfo. The upcoming movie — written by David Magee, who received Oscar nominations for Best Adapted Screenplay for 2004's Finding Neverland and 2012's Life of Pi — makes for the second time Backman's novel has been adapted to the screen. A Swedish adaptation written and directed by filmmaker Hannes Holm, also titled A Man Called Ove, was released in 2015. The film earned Oscar nominations for Best Foreign Language Film and Best Makeup and Hairstyling at the time. A Man Called Otto hits select theaters Dec. 25 then everywhere Jan. 13.