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Tom Hanks Seeks Movie Rights for Green Day Musical

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Tom Hanks will continue to flex his muscles as a Hollywood producer with yet another foray into movie musicals: The Oscar-winning actor is in talks to bring the musical version of Green Day’s 2004 punk rock opus, American Idiot, to the big screen.

Deadline New York reports that Hanks and Playtone — the film production company he heads with partner Gary Goetzman — are after the movie rights to the Bay Area band’s story of anti-hero Jesus of Suburbia and his pals, St. Jimmy and Whatsername. The musical touches on the war in the Middle East and life after 9/11.

Unlike Hanks’ most recent adaptation of a Broadway musical — Mamma Mia!, whose movie version starred Meryl Streep and Amanda Seyfried and grossed $610 million worldwide — American Idiot isn’t yet a worldwide stage smash. In fact, it hasn’t opened yet — the curtain drops at Broadway’s St. James Theatre on April 20.

Produced by Tony Award-winning director Michael Mayer (Spring Awakening) and featuring Green Day’s music and lyrics, American Idiot previewed in Berkeley, California, last fall — read SPIN’s review.

As far back as July, Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong hinted that American Idiot would translate well to the silver screen. The frontman even likened the album’s theatrics to cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Green Day are currently promoting their latest album, 21st Century Breakdown. They performed the hit “21 Guns” at the Grammy Awards alongside the American Idiot cast, and have just announced a North American tour with AFI beginning in August — click here for details.