In Columbia Pictures’ feature, A Man Called Otto, Academy Award-winner Tom Hanks portrays the titular curmudgeon and tells of an unlikely friendship between grumpy Otto and the affectionate family that just moved in next door. The heartwarming story is based on author Fredrik Backman’s New York Times bestselling novel.
Reuniting the duo behind Finding Neverland, director Marc Forster teamed up with screenwriter David Magee to adapt the story of a hurting old man, his lovable neighbors, and a cat nearly as cranky as Otto. Hanks’ performance is backed by an ensemble cast of characters with Mariana Treviño as the pregnant and persistent Marisol, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Rachel Keller, Mike Birbiglia, and more.
Ahead of A Man Called Otto’s wide release on January 13, Collider’s Steve Weintraub spoke with the director, Marc Forster, about the making of the film. During the interview, Forster discusses working with Tom Hanks versus working with Sméagol the cat, and how he handled the heavier themes of the film during the editing process. Forster also explains which shot, throughout his career, was the most difficult to pull off, and why.
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