The Forrest Gump star narrates and executive-produces World War II with Tom Hanks, a 20-hour documentary series from the HISTORY Channel and the National WWII Museum in New Orleans. The series—premiering Memorial Day 2026—is being billed as the "definitive retelling" of the Second World War for a new generation. Hanks has said the war's marks on his own family history made it deeply personal.
Before viewers "witness the war like never before," as the trailer promises, here is everything to know about World War II with Tom Hanks.
The Oscar-winning actor narrates WWII with Tom Hanks©️2025, A&E Television Networks, LLC/Art Streiber
When does 'World War II with Tom Hanks' premiere?
The retelling of the Second World War premieres on Memorial Day—Monday, May 25, 2026—at 8 p.m. ET. The series launches with three back-to-back episodes. The remaining 17 episodes will air weekly on Mondays.
Tom Hanks grasps hands with World War II veteran Mickey Rooney as Tom Brokaw looks on during the National World War II Museum Dedication Ceremony on November 6, 2009.Photo by Sean Gardner on Getty Images
In a press release for the series, the HISTORY Channel noted that Hanks's "lifelong passion for history has informed some of the most profound screen portrayals of the era."
What is 'World War II with Tom Hanks' about?
Spanning 20 hours, World War II with Tom Hanks reexamines the Second World War "through the lens of a new century, offering a deeply human portrait of how the modern world was forged in the fires of global conflict," according to the HISTORY Channel.
World War II with Tom Hanks culminates "in the dawn of the atomic age and the uneasy aftermath that transformed wartime allies into Cold War adversaries, offering a comprehensive and deeply human portrait of the conflict that reshaped the modern world."
Yes! A trailer for the series dropped in early March. "For six dark years, the world was on fire," Hanks reflects in the trailer. "A conflict that toppled empires and reshaped the modern world. No part of the globe was untouched. No life unchanged. The Second World War is the largest event in human history."
What is HISTORY Honors 250?
The History Channel is commemorating the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States with HISTORY Honors 250, a campaign highlighting "breakthrough innovations, major achievements, and unsung heroes that have shaped the United States since the signing of the Declaration of Independence." World War II with Tom Hanks is part of the campaign.
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