Tom Hanks' Civil War Veteran Bonds with a Young Girl in Sweet Clip from News of the World
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
Tom Hanks Protects a Young Girl in New Film News of the World
A Civil War veteran agrees to deliver a girl, taken by the Kiowa people years ago, to her aunt and uncle, against her will. They travel hundreds of miles and face grave dangers as they search for a place that either can call home
Tom Hanks shares the screen with a much younger costar in News of the World.
In a PEOPLE exclusive clip of the movie, Hanks stars as Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd, a Civil War veteran who finds himself agreeing to deliver a young girl, Johanna, to her aunt and uncle against her will.
As the two embark on their travels, Kidd finds himself trying to teach her the English language as Johanna (played by newcomer Helena Zengel) was raised by a tribe of Native Americans.
“Bird,” he says. “Bird.”
As Johanna repeats after him, she also shares a bit of her own heritage, attempting to teach Kidd the language of the Kiowa tribe.
RELATED: Tom Hanks Goes West to Help a Young Girl Find Her Family in News of the World Trailer
NBC Tom Hanks and Helena Zengel in News of the World
Directed by Paul Greengrass (Captain Phillips) and based on a 2016 novel by Paulette Jiles, Kidd's goal in the film is to "bring people together and expand their perspective of the world" through his one-man show about true stories around the world, according to Vanity Fair.
"When the fabric of society is in tatters, you’ve got a character in Kidd, who in his lonely, singular, small way is a thread who connects one community to another,” director Greengrass told the publication in October.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories
He added of the film, which takes place in 1870: "Even though it’s set then, it’s a film about our times."
"Neighbors and families and communities were in stark and often violent conflict with each other, and Americans needed to decide who they were as Americans."
News of the World is available on premium video on demand on January 15.
