For many fans of the big blue boy scout, Tyler Hoechlin is considered one of the greatest live-action Superman actors to ever grace our screens. However, long before he suited up as Kal-El in the CW series "Supergirl" and "Superman & Lois," Hoechlin appeared opposite one of the greatest actors of our time in what was a massively unconventional project for his older co-star. Yes, at roughly 14 years old, Hoechlin starred alongside Oscar-winning legend Tom Hanks in director Sam Mendes' 2002 film adaptation
of Max Allan Collins and Richard Piers Rayner's graphic novel, "Road to Perdition."
An incredible father-son road trip movie with an edge, "Road to Perdition" stars Hoechlin as Michael Sullivan Jr. The son of mobster hitman Michael Sullivan Sr. (Hanks), young Michael's life is upended after he inadvertently witnesses his father at work, forcing the pair of them to go on the run together. While the film certainly has a dark, cold-cut tone, it's ultimately a heartfelt story about parents wanting the best for their children. It's also one of the best comic book movies ever made and has Hoechlin and Hanks sharing the screen with the likes of Daniel Craig, Jude Law, and Paul Newman (in his final theatrical live-action role). Given all that, it's no wonder Hanks has such a strong affinity for it ... and why he can help but wonder why more people haven't seen it.
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Tom Hanks Doesn't Understand Why Road To Perdition Isn't More Famous
Appearing on the "ReelBlend" podcast back in 2023, Tom Hanks couldn't wrap his head around why Sam Mendes' 2002 masterpiece hadn't gotten the attention he felt it deserved. "For one reason or another, no one references 'Road to Perdition,' and that was an incredibly important movie for me to go through," the actor remarked. He went on to highlight the many impressive selling points of Mendes' mob movie, most of which Hanks believed have been inexplicably overlooked since the film's initial release:
"It was shot by Conrad Hall, and you have me in it, 'Don Moustache' with a hat on it, but you also have two guys who turned out to be two of the biggest motion picture presences in the history of the industry with Jude Law and [Daniel] Craig. And I killed both of them."
It's also worth noting "Road to Perdition" has influenced many other projects in the years since it came out, some of which have gone on to eclipse it in popularity. For example, "Peaky Blinders" production designer Nicole Northridge has cited "Road to Perdition" as a key point of reference for the series, while the movie itself features one of the most stunning (and, in turn, influential) shootouts in cinematic history. So far as early career roles go, Tyler Hoechlin probably couldn't have asked for a better project to have on his resume.
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