The Circle trailer: Tom Hanks actually plays a villain opposite Emma Watson in Black Mirror-esque satire

Director James Ponsoldt follows up David Foster Wallace film with an adaptation of his peer Dave Eggers' work

Tom Hanks is a damn fine actor - one of the best - but he’s kind of carved out a niche playing nice guys, whether it’s in Bridge of Spies, Saving Private Ryan, Forrest Gump, The Green Mile, Catch Me If You Can, the list goes on.

In his new film The Circle however, he plays a nefarious Mark Zuckerberg-type character, a Silicon Valley CEO with ambitions of creating a surveillance state.

Asidefrom the simple the fact it’s Tom f*cking Hanks, the actor was probably cast because the character needs to initially come off as ‘nice’ and welcoming.

The Circle centres on a new employee at the tech company, Mae (played by Emma Watson), a hugely ambitious young lady who learns during her induction that Hanks’ leader encourages total transparency.

"When we are our best selves, the possibilities are endless," says in the trailer. "Without secrets, without the hoarding of knowledge and information, we can finally realise our potential."

The staff lap up his words, but, aided by an employee played by John Boyega, Mae discovers the sinister consequences of a lack of privacy and it all gets a bit Black Mirror.

The Circle is based on the best-selling book by Dave Eggers, whose work was recently adapted for another Tom Hanks film, A Hologram for the King.

It was directed by James Ponsoldt (The End of the Tour) and opens in cinemas on 28 April.