Trump foes link up for news movie

Tom Hanks to star beside Meryl Streep in new drama. Photo / Supplied

With journalism and "The Hollywood elite" consistently drawing ire from the Trump White House, it's no surprise that the two would eventually team up.

Oscar winners Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep and Steven Spielberg are joining forces for a new drama about the fourth estate called The Post, which chronicles the Washington Post's legal battle to publish the classified Pentagon Papers in 1971.

Spielberg will direct, Hanks will play the Post's larger-than-life executive editor Ben Bradlee and Streep will play Katharine Graham, the newspaper's publisher, according to Deadline.

Details of the film have been kept under wraps since it was bought by former Sony Picture co-chair Amy Pascal's new production company in October.

Sally Quinn, Bradlee's widow and a former Washington Post reporter, knew about the project but had previously been sworn to secrecy.

"I am thrilled," said Quinn. "This is the dream team."

The last time Quinn saw her husband on the big screen was in 1976 when actor Jason Robards played Bradlee in All the President's Men. The actor had dinner with the couple and spent the day with Bradlee at the office. "He got him cold," said Quinn. "It was just mind blowing."

And she expect Hanks, who knew Bradlee personally, will do an equally praise-worthy job. "Tom is a brilliant actor. All I can can say is I think the timing is perfect. It could not be more relevant today to what's going on."

Meryl Streep will play Katharine Graham, the newspaper's publisher. Photo / Supplied

The movie's existence is news to Katharine Weymouth, Graham's granddaughter and the former publisher of the Post, but the media scion agreed with Quinn: The timing is on point.

"With the media under attack, I think everybody has thought about it in a new light and realises the importance of ... reporting on the facts," Weymouth said.

So what advice would Graham's granddaughter give to the three-time Oscar winner on the verge of stepping into Kay Graham's shoes?

"My guess is ... she'll do her homework," said Weymouth. "I think my grandmother would be incredibly flattered that Meryl Streep was playing her. Who wouldn't be?"