Tom Hanks' 'Electric City' looks for light in darkness
Tom Hanks is heading to Electric City. No, Dunderheads, he’s not guesting on The Office, which is, of course, set in Scranton, Pa., a.k.a. Electric City. The two-time Oscar winner has created a new animated web series about a seeming oasis of idealistic possibility set amongst a dystopian, post-apocalyptic future. Hanks has been working on the idea for years, at one point contemplating bringing his characters to life with puppets. Instead, Yahoo will host a series of short five-to-seven-minute episodes, the first 10 of which will premiere on July 17. Additional episodes will follow on July 18-19, completing the 90-minute adventure.
Hanks himself will lend his voice to the cast, along with Jeanne Tripplehorn, Holland Taylor (Two and a Half Men), Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Antoon, Chris Parnell, Paul Scheer, June Diane Raphael, and Georg Stanford Brown. Hanks’ character is new to Electric City, and after the world nearly ended, safe housing is rare — and expensive. His only affordable option? Dressing in drag, and getting a job in a knitting factory… I kid. Watch a quick trailer here.
Yahoo, which is collaborating on the project with Reliance Entertainment and Hanks’ Playtone production company, is building an interactive experience around the show, with multiple digital and mobile components. “Every now and then, storytelling and technology unite in a fun and surprising way,” said Playtone partner Gary Goetzman. “Electric City brings viewers into a totally unique world through a truly immersive online experience whether they’re at home on their computers or mobile on their tablets and smartphones.”
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