This photo of Tom Hanks as Mister Rogers is magical

A bright light in a dark time.
 By 
Kellen Beck
 on 
This photo of Tom Hanks as Mister Rogers is magical
Tom Hanks will be playing Mister Rogers in an upcoming movie. Credit: STEFANIA D'ALESSANDRO/GETTY IMAGES AND FOTOS INTERNATIONAL/GETTY IMAGES

The first image of Tom Hanks as Mister Rogers is here and it will brighten your day.

Tom Hanks will be playing Mister Rogers in an upcoming untitled movie based on Rogers' life, and seeing him in that iconic red cardigan and blue sneakers is heartwarming. Take a look:

The Mister Rogers movie, which is slated to come out in October 2019, is inspired by the life of Fred Rogers, the inspirational and inimitable host of the children's TV show Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. Specifically, the movie will look at Rogers' relationship with journalist Tom Junod, who wrote a profile of Rogers for Esquire in 1998.

Rogers created the show Mister Rogers' Neighborhood which for years taught children and adults alike how to be more kind to each other and take care of themselves. The show impacted so many people in the decades that it aired, delivering innumerable tidbits of wisdom until its final episode in 2001.

Rogers passed away in 2003, leaving behind an unmarred legacy of promoting happiness, self-care, and empathy to the world.

The Mister Rogers movie is being directed by Diary of a Teenage Girl director Marielle Heller and was slated to start production this fall.

UPDATE: Sept. 27, 2018, 4:02 p.m. EDT This article originally reported that this film was titled You Are My Friend. The film was originally titled You Are My Friend when it was first announced, but now the project is currently untitled.

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Kellen Beck

Kellen is a science reporter at Mashable, covering space, environmentalism, sustainability, and future tech. Previously, Kellen has covered entertainment, gaming, esports, and consumer tech at Mashable. Follow him on Twitter @Kellenbeck

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