Warner Bros is finalising a deal for the film rights to *Theo of Golden*, the breakout debut novel by first-time author Allen Levi, with Tom Hanks in talks to play the title role. The project marks a striking rise for the book, which began as a self-published effort by Levi, a former lawyer turned musician, and became a publishing sensation through word of mouth and a boost from Oprah Winfrey's podcast. It fits a familiar pattern of literary sleeper hits, such as *The Bridges of Madison County*, being turned into star-driven adaptations.

Set in the fictional town of Golden, the novel follows a man named Theo who buys pencil portraits of local residents and returns them, uncovering personal stories along the way as he confronts a past tragedy. Originally self-published in 2023, it was picked up by Simon & Schuster last October and has since sold more than 3.5 million copies in the US, been translated into 43 languages, and topped bestseller lists in countries including the Netherlands, Italy and the UK. Gil Netter, Gary Goetzman and Hanks will produce via Playtone, with Levi serving as executive producer.