Tom Hanks' Playtone to Bring Mamma Mia! to Big Screen?

According to a New York Times article, Oscar-winner Tom Hanks may soon be bringing the hit ABBA musical Mamma Mia! to the big screen.

With Gary Goetzman, Hanks is the head of the production company Playtone, which has produced such movie hits as Cast Away, My Big Fat Greek Wedding and The Polar Express. 

Hanks and the company first wooed global Mamma Mia! producer Judy Craymer for the show's movie rights five years ago, when the show first premiered on Broadway.  "All along, the message was low-key but clear: In Playtone's hands the movie would be faithful to the campy, winking stage show, and the members of the main creative team behind the original would be full partners."  At the time, Craymer wasn't interested in a Mamma Mia! film, despite numerous other offers.

However, Craymer became more enthusiastic about a film version of the musical comedy last year, and now considers Playtone the company most likely to produce Mamma Mia! She was particularly impressed by Goetzman, who during a visit to her home five years ago, arranged for Harrod's to deliver to Craymer a bottle of Dom Peringon and Belvedere vodka, and who even "sweet-talked the security guards into letting him inside to find his parcel" when the delivery didn't go through.  "I thought, I have to work with this man...No raised voice, no kicking in the door," said Craymer.

Mamma Mia! has played almost 2,000 performances at the Winter Garden Theatre since opening in October of 2001. The show is set to the songs of ABBA's Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, with hits including "Dancing Queen," "Money, Money, Money" and "The Winner Takes It All." The show originally starred Louise Pitre, Judy Kaye, Karen Mason and others.

The musical concerns Donna, who while on a tiny Greek Island, tries to settle her daughter Sophie's paternity before the latter's wedding.

Mamma Mia's book is by Catherine Johnson, with direction by Phyllida Lloyd and choreography by Anthony Van Laast. Produced by Craymer, Richard East and Ulvaeus for Littlestar in association with Universal, the musical features production design by Mark Thompson, lighting design by Howard Harrison, sound design by Andrew Bruce and Bobby Aitken and musical supervision, additional material and arrangements by Martin Koch.

Hanks is an Oscar-winner for Philadelphia and Forrest Gump, and has also been nominated for his work in Cast Away, Saving Private Ryan and Big.  Other film credits as an actor include The Da Vinci Code, The Terminal, Road to Perdition, Sleepless in Seattle and Splash.