Tom Tykwer’s A HOLOGRAM FOR THE KING Starring Tom Hanks Begins Photography in Morocco

Shooting started in Morocco today on the comedic drama A HOLOGRAM FOR THE KING, which is being directed by Tom Tykwer (“Cloud Atlas”, “Perfume”), who also adapted the script from the eponymous novel by Dave Eggers.

The independently-financed production stars Tom Hanks. A HOLOGRAM FOR THE KING reunites Hanks, Tykwer, Schott, and Arndt after working together on CLOUD ATLAS, which has grossed over $130 million globally.

The picture takes place far away from the recession-weary USA, as an up-and-coming Saudi Arabian city provides the backdrop for foundering American businessman Alan Clay’s (Tom Hanks) last-ditch effort to stave off bankruptcy, pay his daughter’s college fees, and finally accomplish something big. A HOLOGRAM FOR THE KING is a gentle, crazy, wistful ballad recounting the journey of a man, who has lost almost everything, to a country that requires him to rise to completely unknown challenges – and that answers old questions in new and unexpected ways.

The cast also includes Sarita Choudhury (“Homeland”), Omar Elba (“Intelligence”), Tracey Fairaway (“Enough Said”), David Menkin (“Zero Dark Thirty”) and Tom Skerritt (“Ted”, “Top Gun”).

Shooting will take place in Morocco and Germany and will continue until June. X Verleih will distribute the film in Germany.

A HOLOGRAM FOR THE KING is being produced by Uwe Schott (“Cloud Atlas”, “Me and Kaminski”) and Stefan Arndt (“Cloud Atlas”, “Amour”) of X Filme Creative Pool; Arcadiy Golubovich and Timothy D. O’Hair of Primeridian; and Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman (“Larry Crown”, “Mamma Mia”) of Playtone; in Association with Silver Reel Entertainment, and Fábrica de Cine. Dave Eggers, Steven Shareshian of Playtone, Claudia Bluemhuber of Silver Reel, Gaston Pavlovich of Fabrica de Cine, and Bill Johnson and Jim Seibel of Lotus International will executive produce.  Lotus introduced the picture at AFM in November and is handling international sales.  CAA is representing the domestic rights.

Published by McSweeney’s in 2012, A Hologram for the King, was a finalist for that year’s National Book Award and was also featured in The New York Times Best Seller list.