Why Tom Hanks Keeps Acting In & Producing World War II Movies & TV Shows After 28 Years

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explains why he keeps going back to World War II.

Tom Hanks first became known for World War II-themed projects with the 1998 Steven Spielberg film, Saving Private Ryan. Since then, he’s also produced several miniseries about the war, including Band of Brothers (2001), The Pacific (2010), and Masters of the Air (2024), and starred in the 2020 naval thriller Greyhound.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter before the debut of World War II with Tom Hanks on the History Channel, Hanks discussed his long-standing interest in the Second World War. He believes his fascination stems from the similarities he observes between that historical conflict and current global events. He went on to explain:

I’ve been thinking a lot about why I keep returning to this particular subject. I realized it’s because it feels so relevant to the choices we’re facing right now, in 2026. It’s less about what happened in the past – like the struggles of the 1930s – and more about the real, everyday decisions we all have to make today if we want to get involved and make a difference. Those decisions, whether in the past or present, require the same kind of personal commitment.

During World War II, people faced stark choices, clearly defined by the conflict between freedom and oppression. The war pitted ideologies claiming racial or religious superiority against each other, based on inherent qualities. These kinds of beliefs haven’t disappeared today, and ultimately, every conflict—past or present—boils down to the personal decisions we each have to make.

Tom Hanks narrates and executive produces World War II, a new documentary series on the History Channel. He’s teamed up with historian Jon Meacham, who has won a Pulitzer Prize, to create the series. It will cover all the key events and locations of the war in 20 episodes.

This series is the latest project for Tom Hanks, following the 2024 release of Masters of the Air. Building on the success of Band of Brothers, which told the story of the Allied invasion of Europe, and The Pacific, which focused on the American conflict against Japan, Masters of the Air depicts the experiences of American airmen during bombing missions over Germany.

The show was successful for Apple TV and received positive reviews, earning an 85% score on Rotten Tomatoes. However, it’s the lowest-rated of the three World War II shows starring Tom Hanks. All three projects were a collaboration between Hanks and Spielberg, who also served as an executive producer.

While Tom Hanks often directs or produces WWII projects now, he recently returned to acting in the 2020 Apple TV film Greyhound. In it, he plays a U.S. Navy commander, new to his role, tasked with guiding a ship convoy safely through dangerous waters filled with enemy submarines.

The naval war film was both popular with audiences and well-received by critics, and Tom Hanks will reprise his role in the upcoming Greyhound 2. Filming for the sequel began in Australia last February, but Apple has not announced a release date yet.

It’s still unclear how Tom Hanks’ new World War II project will compare to his previous work on the subject, but given his history with these stories, it’s likely to be popular on the History Channel. Hanks has indicated he’s still fascinated by World War II, which could mean we’ll see even more historical dramas from him after Masters of the Air.

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2026-05-25 19:48