When is A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood out in UK cinemas? Who was Fred Rogers?
Everything you need to know about Marielle Heller's upcoming Mr Rogers biopic
Any poll to determine the most wholesome personalities in American popular culture might be likely to place both Tom Hanks and children's TV icon Fred Rogers near the top of the pile.
And so, the new film from Can You Ever Forgive Me? director Marielle Heller - which stars Hanks in the lead role as Mr Rogers himself - looks pretty much guaranteed to be a delight.
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Find out everything you need to know about the film below…
When will A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood be out in UK cinemas?
Although the film is set to be released in the US in late November, UK audiences will have to wait a bit longer than their American counterparts – with the film slated for a UK release date of January 31st 2020.
Who was Fred Rogers?
Although he’s perhaps less known here than he is Stateside, Mr Rogers is an icon of American television, famed for his legendary kindness and loveable charm.
He presented Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, an education TV show aimed at pre-school children, for over three decades from 1968 to 2001 and was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1999.
He was also a musician, puppeteer, writer, producer, and Presbyterian minister. He died aged 74 in 2003 following a battle with stomach cancer.
Rogers was previously the subject of a 2018 documentary titled Won’t You Be My Neighbor.
What is A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood about?
Heller’s film charts the true story of Lloyd Vogel, a jaded Esquire journalist who’s tasked with writing a magazine profile of Mr Rogers - a job which he accepts with great reluctance.
However as Vogel spends time in the company of the legendary television personality, he finds his cynical worldview transformed and forms a close friendship with Mr Rogers.
Is there a trailer?
Yes – and more than one! You can take a look below…
Who stars in the A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood?
Given his own reputation as one of the nicest men in Hollywood, Tom Hanks seems like perfect casting in the role of Mr Rogers. He’s joined in the cast by fellow The Post star Matthew Rhys, who plays Vogel, while other stars include Susan Kelechi Wilson (This Is Us) and Academy Award winner Chris Cooper (Adaptation).
There are also a number of cameo appearances from assorted friends and family of Mr Rogers.
Authors
Patrick Cremona is the Senior Film Writer at Radio Times, and looks after all the latest film releases both in cinemas and on streaming. He has been with the website since October 2019, and in that time has interviewed a host of big name stars and reviewed a diverse range of movies.
