Lincoln In The Bardo: A Heart-Wrenching Tale of Grief and Sacrifice

Production Details

Title: Lincoln In The Bardo

Format: Feature Film

Production Begins: Active Development

Producer: Megan Mullally, Nick Offerman, George Saunders

Director: Duke Johnson

DP: John Mathieson

Synopsis: February 1862. The Civil War is less than one year old. The fighting has begun in earnest, and the nation has begun to realize it is in for a long, bloody struggle. Meanwhile, President Lincoln’s beloved eleven-year-old son, Willie, lies upstairs in the White House, gravely ill. In a matter of days, despite predictions of a recovery, Willie dies and is laid to rest in a Georgetown cemetery. “My poor boy, he was too good for this earth,” the president says at the time. “God has called him home.” Newspapers report that a grief-stricken Lincoln returns, alone, to the crypt several times to hold his boy’s body.

Company name:

1224 5th St.
Santa Monica, Ca 90401

jlawrence@playtone.com
310-394-5700

Note: This production is not yet released.

About Lincoln In The Bardo

Set against the backdrop of February 1862, the film explores the personal turmoil of President Lincoln as he navigates the early years of the Civil War. As the nation grapples with conflict, Lincoln faces an unimaginable loss when his eleven-year-old son, Willie, succumbs to illness. The story unfolds in a poignant examination of grief and love, depicting Lincoln’s solitary visits to the crypt where his son rests. Through these haunting moments, the film captures not only the president’s personal pain but also the broader struggles of a country in turmoil.