Jon Hamm's New Film Role Is Unlike His Others

If you are a lover of all things Jon Hamm, then you are seriously in luck. It was announced on Wednesday that Tim Robbins would be starring with Jon Hamm in Marjorie Prime — a film about an aging woman who hires a service to provide her with holographic representations of her dead loved ones. Lois Smith is set to play Marjorie, while Hamm has been cast as Walter, her husband. But a cross-generational love affair won’t be the only thing about this film that you find surprising: Really, the film is a lot different than Hamm’s usual choice in roles, and I for one am ecstatic about it.

The movie is an adaptation of Jordan Harrison’s science fiction play that was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. Because the film is set in some alternate or future world where holograms can be created of the diseased, it makes a little more sense to know that Hamm will be playing Smith’s husband — his character will be deceased, and he'll comes back to her in his 30s and 40s as an altered version of his former self.

(Since the film is being billed as a dramedy, I’m imagining a less terrifying version of Pet Cemetery, hopefully with fewer killer animals and demonic children.)

Unlike some of Hamm’s previous projects apart from Mad Men — most of which have cast him in supporting comedy roles — the role of Walter is a bit of a change for the man formerly known as Don Draper. In his previous film roles in comedies such as Friends With Kids, Wet Hot American Summer: First Day Of Camp, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, and Bridesmaids, Hamm showed off his comedy chops and provided a little light relief from his heavier role as Don on Mad Men. Marjorie Prime promises something different for the actor: The science fiction role will be a first for Hamm. And, considering the movie is both dramatic and romantic (and with a plot line like that, I’m anticipating it’s also going to be super touching and potentially sad), there should be plenty of opportunity for Hamm to stretch his legs and dive deep into the complex script.

If nothing else, we’ll finally be able to see Hamm playing relatively nice, family man — and I, for one, can’t wait. With Marjorie Prime, Hamm will hopefully be giving us something sweet to hold onto. And after all of the troubled men he’s played, I think we superfans deserve that.