As Tom Hanks re-teams with his "Captain Phillips" director Paul Greengrass for a stark and gritty Western in 2020's "News of the World,"  we run down the 20 most memorable movie characters from Hanks' career.

#20: Rick Gassko - “Bachelor Party” - It's hard to imagine America’s Dad in a raunchy, screwball comedy. But that is exactly how Tom Hanks started his film career.

Tom Hanks, Bradford Bancroft in "Bachelor Party."

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#19: Dr. Henry Goose, Isaac Sachs, Zachry, et. al. - “Cloud Atlas” - Say what you will about “Cloud Atlas,” but here you have Tom Hanks playing six different characters, in six different genres, all in one movie.

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#18: Robert Langdon - “The Da Vinci Code,” “Angels & Demons,” “Inferno” - Tom Hanks portrays Dan Brown’s Harvard Symbiologist (is that even a thing?). There were many controversies surrounding these movies, but none more controversial than that of Tom Hanks’ long hair.

Audrey Tautou, Tom Hanks in "The Da Vinci Code."

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#17: Det. Scott Turner - “Turner & Hooch” - “Don't eat the car! Not the car! Oh, what am I yelling at you for? You're a dog!” This line, that Detective Turner shouts at his furry partner Hooch, was used in test footage for “Toy Story,” and helped convince Hanks to take on the role of Sheriff Woody.

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#16: Viktor Navorski - “The Terminal” - To get the old world sounding accent for his man-without-a-country character of Viktor Navorski, Tom Hanks based his performance on his Bulgarian father-in-law who can speak multiple languages, including Russian, Turkish, Polish and Greek.

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#15: Paul Edgecomb - “The Green Mile” - Tom Hanks could have starred in the Frank Darabont adaptation of Stephen King’s novella “The Shawshank Redemption.” Instead he chose “Forrest Gump.” Hanks got a second chance at a King adaptation, much to the delight of both Darabont and the author, as the sympathetic corrections officer Paul Edgecomb.

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#14: Allen Bauer - “Splash” - It’s easy to forget Tom Hanks’ start in comedy, but his timing was impeccable. Hanks’ Allen Bauer falls head-over-heels in love with a true fish (mermaid) out of water, and perfectly plays the straight man to Daryl Hannah, John Candy and Eugene Levy.

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#13: Michael Sullivan - “Road to Perdition” - Tom Hanks is known as an actor that rarely ever plays a bad guy. Mob enforcer Michael Sullivan is probably his darkest, even if his dirty deeds are downplayed and only hinted at on screen. Hanks was drawn to the role as father, understanding that the choices you make in life have a large impact on your children.

Tyler Hoechlin, Tom Hanks in "Road to Perdition."

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#12: Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger - “Sully” - Pilot Chesley Sullenberger is a true hero; and who better to portray him than Tom Hanks, of course? Hanks spent half a day with the former pilot to get into his head. The real Sully was later impressed by how well Hanks nailed his on-screen characterization.

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#11: Sam Baldwin & Joe Fox - “Sleepless in Seattle” & “You’ve Got Mail” - Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan were so perfect on screen together, you almost wished they were married in real life. Director Nora Ephron paired them twice in the ‘90s and we can’t pick a Hanks role in these rom-coms that’s any better than the other.

Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan in "Sleepless in Seattle" and "You've Got Mail."

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#10: Mr. White - “That Thing You Do!” - A&R rep for the fictional Playtone Records who helps lead the Wonders (formerly the Oneders) into their brief touch at stardom. The film was written (including some of the songs) and directed by Tom Hanks. Mr. White is a take on Beatles manager Brian Epstein.

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#9: Carl Hanratty - “Catch Me If You Can” - Steven Spielberg’s second collaboration with Tom Hanks is based on a true story. Hanks’ FBI agent Carl Hanratty serves as both a foil and a surrogate father figure to con man Frank Abagnale Jr. (Leonardo DiCaprio). Hanratty was based on real-life Special Agent Joseph Shea, who forged a similar relationship with the real Abagnale Jr.

Tom Hanks, Frank John Hughes, Brian Howe in "Catch Me If You Can."

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#8: Chuck Noland - “Cast Away” - Who else, besides Tom Hanks, could carry a whole movie with no supporting actors, save for a volleyball, for two hours? Hanks’ FedEx systems engineer Chuck Noland is a man determined to see that packages are safely and efficiently delivered. When his FedEx plane crashes, stranding him on a deserted island, he holds on to the one package that survives and sees to it that it’s delivered in the end. Of course, if he opened the box, maybe he would have found a satellite phone.

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#7: Josh Baskin - “Big” - We can’t really think of anyone from the ‘80s, or even now, who would be more perfect in the role as the grown-up-yet-still-a-kid Josh Baskin. This was the role that fittingly made Tom Hanks big, and earned him his first Oscar nomination for Best Actor.

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#6: Jimmy Dugan - “A League of Their Own” - The Rockford Peaches' manager Jimmy Dugan knows there’s no tears when playing America’s favorite pastime. The hard-drinking, out-of-shape Dugan was loosely based on real-life sluggers Jimmie Foxx and Lewis “Hack” Wilson. Hanks’ famous line about crying, or the lack thereof, in baseball was ranked #54 in AFI’s list of “100 Great Movie Quotes.”

Bitty Schram and Tom Hanks in "A League of Their Own."

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#5: Jim Lovell - “Apollo 13” - Tom Hanks followed-up his Academy Award-winning performance in “Forrest Gump” by portraying real-life astronaut Jim Lovell, one of the three astronauts who nearly made it to the moon in 1970. Hanks’ famous line back to NASA Mission Control in Houston was not actually spoken the way it is on film. Lovell’s actual words were, “Houston, we’ve had a problem.”

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#4: Sheriff Woody - The “Toy Story” Movies - He's the favorite pull-string cowboy doll of Andy, and a former star of his own TV show from the ‘50s. Tom Hanks has likened doing vocal work on “Toy Story” to a four-hour ab workout, as it’s just as physically demanding. Perhaps that’s why when you hear Woody’s voice from actual Woody dolls, it’s really the voice of Hanks’ brother, Jim.

Woody (voice: Tom Hanks) in key art for "Toy Story 4."

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#3: Forrest Gump - “Forrest Gump” - Tom Hanks earned his second Oscar by playing the memorable character who espouses mom-isms like “life is like a box of chocolates,” while traversing through nearly all the singular moments from the late-‘50s to the ‘70s. Hanks based Gump’s southern accent on Michael Conner Humphreys, the child actor who was hired to play young Forrest and who actually talked that way.

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#2: Andrew Beckett - “Philadelphia” - Tom Hanks lost nearly 30 pounds to play wrongfully fired lawyer Andrew Beckett, who was suffering from AIDS. Hanks would go on to receive his first Oscar for his performance in a film that is considered the first mainstream movie to tackle the issue of AIDS, and one that helped usher in more realistic depictions of LGBT characters in Hollywood.

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#1: Captain John H. Miller - “Saving Private Ryan”: The capable captain of the 2nd Ranger Battalion, who leads his company through the bloodshed of D-Day and then deep into France to locate the eponymous Private Ryan and send him home. Simply put: Tom Hanks + Steven Spielberg + WWII -- there is no greater match-up of actor, director and setting.

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Tom Hanks' 20 Most Memorable Movie Characters

Movie Lists

Concrete Cowboy

There are certainly plenty of western films that show how life used to be during simpler times. Times when people used to ride horses. Times when getting a job didn't require any experience. It just required showing up and working hard. And we've seen enough of these films where all the men and women were cowboys and cowgirls. This week's film that we're looking at is Netflix's "Concrete Cowboy," starring Idris Elba. It tells the story of a group of cowboys still living a similar lifestyle today.

This community of black cowboys exists in Philadelphia and has existed for over 100 years. There have been numerous western films made, but not many if any have focused on African-American cowboys. Finally, this movie has the opportunity to shed a light on a group of people many might not know exist. But, before you watch the flick, we want to tell you the reasons to sink it or stream it.

The course that the plot takes is a little too predictable in certain ways which makes the story not feel as original.

This film is heavily reliant on the star power of Idris Elba, but his role is that of a supporting character.

There's not as much action as you might expect from a movie about cowboys, so the film can feel slow at times.

Idris Elba and Caleb McLaughlin's performances as estranged father and son are moving. It should hit close to home for anyone with a similar dynamic as a parent or child.

The cinematography is beautiful with a variety of different, gorgeous sunlit settings.

This untold story about the long history and culture of this community of black cowboys is a powerful one.

Should you skip or stream "Concrete Cowboy"?  We think you should stream it this weekend.

It's not every day that we get an authentic story about a unique group of contemporary cowboys living their lives in Philadelphia, against the norms of modern society. It's also great to see some of the real-life riders in the film spreading awareness for their cause. This is an enjoyable and informative film about a group of African American cowboys that haven't been represented in cinema before.

Black History Month Highlights – Idris Elba

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'Concrete Cowboy' Starring Idris Elba: Sink or Stream?

What to Watch

This week's new sci-fi movie "Voyagers" isn't directly based on a book, but it is loosely inspired by one. Developed by screenwriter and director Neil Burger, the concepts explored in "Voyagers" has roots in William Golding's classic 1954 novel "Lord of the Flies." In the sci-fi drama, 30 young men and women are sent into space to seek out a new home. As the years go by the mission soon descends into madness. Like the boys stranded alone on a deserted island, the crew reverts to their most primal state, as they become more paranoid with each passing day.

This isn't the first time a screenwriter dabbled with the idea of taking a classic adventure novel and sending it into space. As you'll see below, James Gray attempted something similar with 2019's "Ad Astra," to mixed effect. Here now are ten more movies you might not know were based on books.

It's a Wonderful Life

Planet of the Apes

The Silence of the Lambs

Apocalypse Now

Breakfast at Tiffany's

The Princess Bride

Blade Runner

Psycho

Rebecca

Die Hard

Based on a Book - Bruce Willis in "Die Hard."

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Based on a Book: 10 Classic Movies Inspired by Novels

We've got your roundup of what to watch on Hulu this April. From eye-opening docs to pandemic-themed thrillers, the streamer will take you through the month with a solid collection of flicks. There's recent hits, new originals, and a whole host of gems to satisfy your nostalgic cravings. Read on for the top premieres coming this month to Hulu, and the full list of everything now available to watch or coming soon. Happy streaming!

WeWork: Or the Making and Breaking of a $47 Billion Unicorn - April 2nd

Filmmaker Jed Rothstein explores the unprecedented rise and tumultuous fall of WeWork, a real estate company that sought to upend the paradigm of the workspace. As led by its brash, and almost-cultish, co-founder and ex-CEO Adam Neumann, WeWork bit off more than it could chew. Its crash following the company seeking its public IPO was almost inevitable. After being forced out, Neumann consequently was said to have thought of himself as "a martyr." All of this is ripe, of course, for a Hollywood treatment, which is exactly what's happening next.

WeWork: Or the Making and Breaking of a $47 Billion Unicorn

The pandemic seeped into all aspects of our lives. "Songbird," which was shot during the summer lockdowns in L.A., was one of the first movies to lean heavily on its COVID influence. And the sci-fi thriller paints a grim future. By 2024, COVID-19 has morphed into COVID-23. Some people have immunity, but those unfortunate souls who don't are sent to quarantine camps. Lord only knows what fate befalls them. "Songbird" is certainly drawing just as much influence from Trump's America as the pandemic. While the thriller felt a bit "too soon" last winter when it launched on PVOD, by now we can all breathe a sigh of relief. As bad as things are, at least the pandemic hasn't become that bad.

Songbird

British actress Emily Blunt dons her best Irish accent with Irish actor Jamie Dornan in this comedy in which star-crossed lovers get caught up in a land dispute. Farmer Rosemary (Blunt) hopes to win the heart of her oblivious neighbor Anthony (Dornan). But Anthony has problems of his own. His family is looking to sell their farm to an American nephew. Maybe through it all the two will finally see eye-to-eye and heart-to-heart.

Wild Mountain Thyme

Hulu has your nostalgia fix all April long if you're looking to watch some classics. Lovers of Westerns can take in a few gems of the genre. You can catch Paul Newman and Robert Redford as the witty and adventurous "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid." The film's iconic rain-themed song we just recently included in our movie songs playlist. Also streaming is John Ford's classic James Stewart shoot-em-up "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance." If you're looking for more modern gunslingers, then you can find some action fun with Bruce Willis and his hard-nosed detective John McClane in "Die Hard" and the later follow up "Die Hard With a Vengeance."

If you're looking to watch something more indie, Hulu has a few recent indie movies making their streaming debut. On 4/4 you can catch Bella Thorne in the grindhouse thriller "Girl." On 4/16 look for the inspiring doc "Fly Like a Girl," which follows a group of real women who followed their aviation dreams to space. It's sort of the real-life Captain Marvels.

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) - 4/1

Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter (1974) - 4/1

Cheech & Chong's Still Smokin' (1983) - 4/1

Into the Arms of Strangers: Stories of the Kindertransport (2000) - 4/1

Larry The Cable Guy: Health Inspector (2006) - 4/1

Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2004) - 4/1

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009) - 4/1

So I Married an Axe Murderer (1993) - 4/1

The Man Who Could Cheat Death (1959) - 4/1

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) - 4/1

Tyler Perry's Madea Goes to Jail (2009) - 4/1

WeWork: Or the Making and Breaking of a $47 Billion Unicorn (2021) - 4/2 - Original

Tom Hanks' 20 Most Memorable Movie Characters

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