The Fred Rogers biopic starring Tom Hanks has undergone a title change. Formerly known as You Are My Friend, the film has now been officially titled A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, after the theme song of Rogers’ beloved television series.
Directed by Marielle Heller (Diary of a Teenage Girl), the film stars Hanks as Mr. Rogers, Matthew Rhys (The Americans) and Chris Cooper (Coming Through The Rye).
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood is inspired by a real-life friendship between Fred Rogers (Hanks) and award-winning journalist Tom Junod (Rhys). In the story, a cynical journalist begrudgingly accepts an assignment to write a profile piece on the beloved icon and finds his perspective on life transformed.
Heller is directing from a script written by Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster (Transparent). The movie comes from Big Beach Films and TriStar Pictures.
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood will be released in theatres on October 18th, 2019.