By Maddie P
Updated
A perfect heartwarming movie to watch this winter.
Quick Links
- When Is A Man Called Otto’s Release Date?
- Watch the Trailer For A Man Called Otto
- Who's In A Man Called Otto’s Cast?
- Who's Making A Man Called Otto?
- When and Where Was A Man Called Otto Filmed?
- What Is A Man Called Otto About?
Every Tom Hanks movie, especially his slice-of-life dramas, is an experience in itself, each carrying with it a unique emotional quotient. It’s been a while since we saw the Forrest Gump star in a gratifying, touching story and that’s why A Man Called Otto is one of his most-awaited upcoming films. A Man Called Otto follows the titular character, Otto, a grumpy 60-year-old widower, who gets through his retired life by alienating people and being critical and judgmental about his neighbors, their pets, children, and everyone he comes across. But his perspective is challenged when a lively family moves into the neighborhood and turns his life upside down.
The comedy-drama film is based on a 2012 novel titled A Man Called Ove by Swedish author Fredrik Backman. The original story was adapted into a Swedish movie of the same name, directed and written by Hannes Holm. A Man Called Otto is the second film adaptation of the novel and is directed by Marc Forster, with the script written by David Magee, both of whom also serve as executive producers along with Renee Wolfe and others.
Although it’s not a Christmas movie and won’t have a wide holiday release, the story sounds perfect for the season of joy and cheer. So, even if you don’t get to see it during its limited release this December, you can always catch the start of the New Year with this family movie. Meanwhile, check out our complete guide with the plot, trailer, release date, cast and characters, and everything we know so far about A Man Called Otto.
Editor's Note: This article was last updated on December 26 with the latest trailer.
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When Is A Man Called Otto’s Release Date?
A Man Called Otto is set to premiere for a limited release in New York and Los Angeles on Christmas Day, i.e., on December 25, 2022, followed by a nationwide release on January 13, 2023.
Watch the Trailer For A Man Called Otto
The official trailer of A Man Called Otto, released this October by Sony Pictures, is just as fun and comforting as you would expect from a Tom Hanks film. The clip introduces the audience to Otto, the titular protagonist, who seems constantly irritable, annoyed, and quite intolerant to his neighbors and everything around him. From shouting at his neighbors and their pets to making snide remarks at mail carriers, he seems to be living a miserable life. The trailer also shows that this apparently despicable old man does have a sentimental side when he visits his dead wife’s grave and spends hours talking to her. The trailer rounds up the plot and shows the biggest turn of events in Otto’s monotonous and lonely life when a new family moves into the neighborhood and encourages him to live differently. Overall, from what we can gather from the trailer, A Man Called Otto seems like an entertaining, heartfelt, and hopeful story that you would want to watch with the whole family. A second trailer was released on December 1, 2022, as well, which you can see below:
Who's In A Man Called Otto’s Cast?
Academy Award-winner Tom Hanks headlines the cast of A Man Called Otto as the protagonist – a retired 60-year-old widower whose only objective in life seems to be harassing his neighbors and anyone else who crosses his path. In other roles, the cast also includes, but is not limited to, Mariana Trevino as Marisol, Otto’s new neighbor, along with Rachel Keller, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Cameron Britton, Kailey Hyman, Mike Birbiglia, Elle Chapman, Kelly Lamor Wilson, Lavel Schley, Juanita Jennings, Julian Manjerico, Spenser Granese, and Jon Donahue, among others.
Related:'Road To Perdition' Is Tom Hanks' Rare Not-So-Good Guy Role
Who's Making A Man Called Otto?
The comedy-drama film is directed by German-Swiss filmmaker, Marc Forster. A BAFTA-nominated director, Forster is best known for his earlier projects like Finding Neverland, Monster's Ball, The Kite Runner, Quantum of Solace, World War Z, etc. and is directing the upcoming film, White Bird: A Wonder Story. The screenplay of the film is adapted by David Magee from the original novel, a writer known for his work on earlier films like Life of Pi, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, Mary Poppins Returns, and the latest, The School for Good and Evil. Both Forster and Magee have earlier worked together on Finding Neverland. Tom Hanks also serves as one of the producers under his production banner, Playtone, along with Rita Wilson, Gary Goetzman, and Fredrik Wikström Nicastro.
When and Where Was A Man Called Otto Filmed?
The production for A Man Called Otto started in February 2022 across various locations in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Filming wrapped in May 2022.
What Is A Man Called Otto About?
A Man Called Otto appears to be an inspiring, aspirational story of how amazing things happen when you let people into your life. The movie stays close to the original bestseller it’s adapted from, which has been described as a “comical and moving” story. Otto Anderson is a cantankerous man, who lost his wife and has spent the years since being quite lonely. But that’s not how he comes across to his neighbors and everyone who knows him or interacts with him. Otto is forced to retire from his job of 40 years, and now he spends his days just picking on people and cribbing about the big, bad world around him. He smiles less and frowns more, and gets furious at anyone or anything that disrupts his set ways of life, including his neighbors’ pets who pee on the sidewalk. And thus, Otto has managed to make an enemy of everyone around him. But that’s not everything that he is. This cranky old man does have other emotions that only come to the surface when he visits his wife’s grave and spends time talking to her and sharing his agony about the world.
In other words, Otto has no real-life human connection with any living being, until a young couple with two toddlers moves into the neighborhood. This arrival of new people in Otto’s life suddenly changes everything, because, unlike the others, his new neighbor Marisol is witty and equally relentless about not pushing Otto away. His day-to-day life takes a whole new turn, perhaps a little adventurous one as well. From babysitting to adopting a pet, the retired widower starts experiencing things most unexpected to him. And thus, begins a new journey and new relationships for Otto, which he never even realized he needed.
