In a twist that could rival the plot of a blockbuster movie, Tom Hanks, the epitome of American cinematic nobility, has reportedly turned down a collaboration with Rob Reiner. His reason? A simple, yet profoundly baffling statement: “I don’t work with woke people.” Now, let’s unpack this kettle of fish in the sprawling, unpredictable narrative that is Hollywood.

Imagine this: Tom Hanks, the actor who once bravely saved Private Ryan and made volleyball friendship goals in “Cast Away,” suddenly turning into a crusader against the modern-day ethos of wokeness. On the other side, we have Rob Reiner, the man behind some of the most iconic films, now standing befuddled, his script in hand, wondering if he accidentally walked onto the set of a surreal comedy.

In an industry that prides itself on being at the forefront of social change (or at least pretending to be), Hanks’ declaration seems like a plot device straight out of a Hollywood parody. The term “woke,” once a badge of progressive honor, now appears to be the red flag in this high-profile cinematic bullfight.

But what does it even mean in this context? Has Hanks, the same man who taught us the importance of being kind to strangers and volleyball, suddenly decided that progressive values are the new box office poison? Or is this a clever ruse, a publicity stunt perhaps, to keep us all guessing?

Let’s indulge in the ripples this Hanks-Reiner non-collaboration sends across the Hollywood pond. Studios are now in a tizzy, re-evaluating their definition of “woke.” Scripts are being flipped upside down to see if any hidden wokeness falls out. Meanwhile, other actors are looking at their own projects, wondering if they too should be wary of this newly found “anti-woke” sentiment. “To be woke or not to be woke,” that seems to be the question.