He was Forrest Gump, had AIDS, saved private Ryan, and in Cast Away he got a volleyball for a co-star. The additional data that is below the text show that Hanks was probably the most important Hollywood actor of the 90s. It “listened” and provided company to Chuck. This product placement is very interesting for one particular reason: product was not just visible and used, and Chuck didn’t just speak about it – the product became a character. Wilson ball turning into Wilson character in the movie Cast Away (2000, 20th Century Fox, screen capture) During this time, a volleyball washed up on shore, inspiring him to add to the script one of its most creative elements: Chuck’s inanimate companion, Wilson. While researching for the film Cast Away, he consulted with professional survival experts and then deliberately stranded himself on an isolated beach for one week, thus forcing himself to search for water and food, and obtain his own shelter. I’ll analyse FedEx’s placement soon, but let’s check some interesting facts about Wilson.Īccording to Wikipedia Wilson was created by screenwriter William Broyles Jr. Apparently Wilson and FedEx, the other prominent brand that had a significant part in the movie, didn’t pay for product placement. That ball eventually became “Wilson”, Chuck’s only company on the island. When he opened boxes from the plane, he found Wilson volleyball. Somehow he got company … from the unlikeliest source.
FedEx packages in the movie Cast Away (2000, 20th Century Fox, screen capture)
The film shows his attempts to survive on the island using leftovers of his plane’s cargo, as well as his eventual escape and return to society. Just to remind you: in Cast Away Tom Hanks is Chuck, a FedEx employee who is stranded on an uninhabited island after FedEx’s plane crashes on a flight over the South Pacific. He even gained fifty pounds during pre-production to make him look like a chubby, middle-aged man. For a large period he was on screen alone. He was capable of being the lone character and the movie would still succeed. At the time of movie production Hanks was one of the hottest names in Hollywood. The movie Cast Away was acclaimed by critics and at the same time a box-office success. In 2000 Tom Hanks collaborated for the second time with director Robert Zemeckis in what was one of the most interesting stories about crashing to a deserted island. But in the year 2000 we had an excellent example of a fourth type: a brand became the character. A product or brand can be visible, used or someone can mention it. Who hasn't ever wondered what happened to the world's most lovable volley ball? Now, please prepare yourselves, because this might not be the Wilson news you were hoping for.In my first post on Brands&Films I’ve written that there are three classic types of product placement. And to the person who asked him, "Do you have the original Wilson in your home," I only have masses of gratitude. Instead of only sticking to Sully-related enquiries, his upcoming movie about the pilot that landed a plane in the Hudson, Hanks answered questions about his entire career. Hanks was as hilarious as you'd expect him to be during his Twitter Q & A session, when he took over the IMDb Twitter account for #AskTomHanks to answer a multitude of fan questions. Even though it came out in 2000, Cast Away is still one of the most-referenced movies of like all time, and much of that is down to Hanks's unique relationship with a volley ball in the film. Especially since Tom Hanks revealed Wilson's fate after Cast Away, and we've been waiting for this news forever. Currently promoting his new movie Sully, the actor participated in a Twitter Q & A on Sunday, and his answers will give you all the feels.
From his incredible performance in Carly Rae Jepsen's "I Really Like You" video, to his roles in a plethora Oscar winning movies, Hanks never disappoints. As far as I'm concerned, Tom Hanks can do no wrong.
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