It’s no secret Tom Hanks enjoys bringing the events of the Second World War to the big and small screens – just look at Saving Private Ryan (1998), Band of Brothers (2001), The Pacific (2010), Greyhound (2020) and Masters of the Air (2024) – and the actor will continue to do so with an upcoming 20-part docuseries for History Channel.
Little has been revealed regarding the project. What we do know is Hanks will serve as both host and narrator and that the series will provide “a comprehensive view of World War II, thanks to new scholarship and rarely seen archive, that illuminates both the causes and pivotal moments” of the conflict.
A+E Factual Studios Group and Nutopia will be producing the yet-to-be-titled docuseries, with Mary E. Donahue, Steve Ascher, Eli Lehrer, Sharon Scott and Ben Goold serving as executive producers.
As aforementioned, Hanks is no stranger to covering the Second World War, with him devoting a good portion of his career to ensuring stories from the conflict are told. Discussing the upcoming project, the actor said in a statement:
“During my formative years, every single adult in my life would make references to two words: The War. The lasting effects of WWII on the world and my own family was not lost on me. I am thrilled to partner with The History Channel to produce this all-encompassing series with a long form format that will give us the ability to tell this important piece of history in its entirety.”
History Channel is owned by A+E. Regarding the announcement, company President and Chairman Paul Buccieri called Hanks “one of America’s preeminent voices in WWII storytelling, not only respected for his on-screen portrayals but also for his deep insight and understanding of the war’s events and impact.
“As a leader in contextualizing historical narratives for generations, Tom shares our commitment, vision, and responsibility to create premium, historically fact-based content, the foundation of A+E Networks.”
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History Channel recently unveiled 2,500 hours of new programming. Along with the docuseries, it’s also slated to partner with former US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama on a podcast series, as well as Danny Trejo, baseball great Derek Jeter and Reese Witherspoon on upcoming projects.