Robert Zemeckis’ ‘Here,’ Starring Tom Hanks, Set to Test-Screen Next Week

I used to like the films that Robert Zemeckis directed, he was on a hot streak between 1980-2000 — “Used Cars,” “Romancing the Stone,” “Back to the Future,” “Who Framed Roger Rabbit,” “Forrest Gump,” “Cast Away,” “Contact.” Hell, I even went along with the schlock horror of “What Lies Beneath.”

However, these last 20 some odd years have been more hit and miss for Zemeckis. There have been some well-received films (“Flight,” “The Walk,” Allied”) but there’s also been a lot of duds (“Welcome to Marwen,” “The Polar Express,” “Beowulf,” “Pinocchio,” “The Witches,” “A Christmas Carol”).

All of this to say that I still look forward to whatever Zemeckis does next. His latest film, titled “Here,” stars Tom Hanks, Robin Wright and Paul Bettany and, much like everything he does these days, it’s steeped in the latest technological breakthrough.

In “Here,” Zemeckis is, again, attempting to be at the forefront of bleeding-edge technology as the film aims to use deepfake VFX to de-age actors with the help of effects studio Metaphysic.

The technology will use “high-resolution photorealistic faceswaps and de-aging effects on top of actors’ performances live and in real-time without the need for further compositing or VFX work.”

“Here” is based on Richard McGuire’s graphic novel, and tells the story of people in a single room over a long period of time. Eric Roth (“Killers of the Flower Moon”) has adapted the groundbreaking novel for the screen.

This will be a reunion of sorts for Zemeckis, Hanks and Roth who haven’t worked on movie together in almost 30 years — that one was a little film called “Forrest Gump.”

Production on the film began in February of 2023 and it is being test-screened for an audience next Tuesday, which means it must be in the can, or close to it.