Tom Hanks, HBO plan Wright Brothers miniseries

Tom Hanks and HBO will partner on a Wright Brothers miniseries based on the new David McCullough book, according to multiple media reports today.

Hanks’ production company Playtone and HBO have acquired the rights to the new book.

The Wright Brothers grew up and worked in Dayton and perfected controlled piloted flight on nearby Huffman Prairie, today part of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

“We’ve got the movie props and the real thing,” said Tim Gaffney, a spokesman for the National Aviation Heritage Alliance and himself an author on Dayton’s most famous sons. “And of course, Tom Hanks is familiar with the (Dayton) area.”

Gaffney said he believed Amanda Wright Lane, great-grandniece of the Wright brothers, has been in contact with McCullough, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author.

Gaffney said as well that McCullough relied on Wright State University archives for part of his research into the Wrights.

Hanks himself has a well-known connection to Wright State. He performed at the university as a young actor. A WSU graduate helped Hanks produce two Emmy Award-winning television miniseries, the university says. And the actor has started a scholarship fund at the university, produced videos in support of the school and provided memorabilia and his time to help the school raise money for its performing arts program, WSU has noted.

McCullough’s book, The Wright Brothers, will ship around May 5, according to publisher Simon and Schuster.