Hollywood megastar Tom Hanks opens up on his 1996 box-office flopThat Thing You Do!becoming a cult hit years later. The movie, which was Hanks’s directing and screenwriting debut, chronicles the rise and fall of the fictional one-hit wonder band The Wonders, in the 1960s.The movie was released theatrically on Aug 02, 2025, and was not well received critically or at the box office, grossing just $34.6 million against a production budget of $26 million, but over time has become one ofHanks' best-loved movies of the 1990s.
In an interview with theNew York Post,Hanks reflects on how the movie’s reputation has changed over time. He also mentions that movies in his early career were expected to be successful immediately, whereasThat Thing You Do!took years to become a cult hit. Speaking about how time is the great healer for movies, he remembers how the same critic who had negatively reviewed the movie liked it years later, and how this is sometimes the way it goes. Check out his comments below:
All of this stuff lives. Now what has happened is that time has become one of the metrics for how these things matter, right? Back in the day it was just a fistfight. It was every movie you had coming out, are you going to make the playoffs or not? Guess what? No, kid, you ain’t going nowhere. Or, you got a shot. It used to be you had these Rubicons that you crossed.
First of all, do you love it or not? That’s the first thing. I read this [script] and I love it. The next Rubicon you cross is when the movie is completely done a year and a half later and you see it for the first time, and you might like it. It doesn’t matter if it works or not. You look at it and say, ‘Hey, I think we acquitted ourselves pretty good.’ That’s Rubicon No. 2.
Then the critics weigh in, that’s Rubicon No. 3, and that’s always up or down: ‘We hate it, we like it. This is the worst thing. … Oh hey, Tom, I saw you in a movie. It was cute.’ That’s when you ask the wife, ‘Hey, honey, could you take the revolver out of the glove box and hide it somewhere, because I think… After the critics comes the box office, and then a ton of time goes by when none of that stuff matters anymore.
Let me tell you something about these c–ksuckers who write about movies. Can I say that? They said, ‘All you need is 20 years between now and then, and it ends up speaking some words. But that’s the thing we all signed up for. That’s the carnival, that’s the contest. I got faith in that. That’s okay.
What Hanks' Comments Reveal About That Thing You Do!’s Legacy
The Movie Has Become A Cult Classic Since Its Release
It is clear from his comments thatHanks is very protective overThat Thing You Do!, which makes sense given that he wrote and directed the film, and would have been invested in the production process. His comments also reveal his complex relationship with critics, understanding they have to do a job, but poor reception can hurt a movie.That Thing You Do!became a cult classic and is viewed more favorably now than on release, even by some of the same critics, showing how movies can sometimes be ahead of their time, and find new relevance years later.
One of the things that makes movies likeThat Thing You Do!a success is that they give a snapshot into a glamorous world that many viewers would love to inhabit
As Hanks details, the approach to filmmaking has changed now, and studios (as well as actors) view releases differently. Not every movie has to be a huge success nowadays, and passion projects play an important role in any actor’s filmography.For Hanks,That Thing You Do!was clearly a passion project, and came following his back-to-backOscar wins forPhiladelphiaandForrest Gump, which would have afforded him the freedom to make something that would perhaps not have been expected to be a box office hit.
Our Verdict On Why That Thing You Do! Found Success Years Later
The Movie Has A Voice That Speaks To Different People
Aside fromThat Thing You Do!‘siconic soundtrack, one of the things that makes movies likeThat Thing You Do!a success is that they give a snapshot into a glamorous world that many viewers would love to inhabit, and then pull the rug out from underneath the characters, showcasing their vulnerabilities, and how the intensity and scrutiny of the music industry can impact relationships and dreams. I also feel like the movie’s denouement, which sees the band members explore that what makes them happy as individuals is just as important, is another factor that connectsThat Thing You Do!with viewers.
That Thing You Do!
Cast
Written and directed by Tom Hanks, That Thing You Do! is a comedy film that follows a manager who discovers and subsequently helps a new band reach the mainstream. When the Oneders switch up their drummer with a new one with a unique jazz style, the band’s song “That Thing You Do!” gains traction. Their budding success catches the attention of Play-Tone Records manager Amos White, who intends to make them “the next big thing.”
