Is Tom Hanks the Ultimate Villain? Fans are Shook as Emma Watson Uncovers the Dark Truth in New ‘The Circle’ Trailer

The internet is currently having a collective meltdown, and it’s all thanks to “America’s Dad.”

A brand-new trailer for the highly anticipated tech-thriller The Circle just hit the web via STX Entertainment, and fans are buzzing about a side of Tom Hanks we have never seen before. Known for his legendary “good guy” roles in classics like Cast Away and Forrest Gump, Hanks appears to be trading in his hero cape for something much more sinister.

In the clip, which is quickly racking up views across X and TikTok, Emma Watson stars as a plucky young computer wiz who lands a “dream” job at a massive, high-tech corporation. At first, she is welcomed with open arms by the company’s charismatic leader—played by a seemingly warm and fuzzy Hanks.

But don’t let that signature twinkle in his eye fool you.

As the trailer unfolds, the utopian vibes quickly shift into a digital horror story. Watson’s character begins to realize that her dream job is actually a surveillance nightmare. The catchphrase that has everyone talking? Hanks’ chilling delivery of the line: “Knowing is good. Knowing everything is better.”

Social media users are already losing it over the casting choice. “Seeing Tom Hanks play a potential villain is the plot twist I didn’t know I needed in ,” one fan commented on Instagram.

Based on the novel by Dave Eggers, the film serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of the surveillance state. It taps into our real-world fears about privacy, showing how easily people hand over their lives to big tech in the name of “safety.”

Watson isn’t alone in her fight against the system. The trailer also gives us a high-octane look at Star Wars alum John Boyega, who appears to be Watson’s partner-in-crime as they attempt to dismantle the organization from the inside.

Eagle-eyed fans also spotted a few glimpses of comedy favorite Patton Oswalt, who seems to be playing a high-level lackey to Hanks’ megalomaniac character.

The brilliance of the film seems to lie in subverting Hanks’ iconic “America’s Dad” persona. While anyone can play a mustache-twirling villain, there is something uniquely terrifying about a father figure who uses drones and tiny cameras to watch your every move.

Is the world ready for a world where Tom Hanks is the one we should be running from? We’ll find out when The Circle hits theaters.

One thing is for sure: we’ll never look at a “friendly” tech CEO the same way again.

Would you like me to draft a follow-up piece focusing on Emma Watson’s best “plucky heroine” moments to keep the hype going?