Tom Hanks revealed on the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast (via The Independent) that a sequel to “Forrest Gump” was a serious possibility for only 40 minutes. The Oscar-winning drama was based on the 1986 novel, which led to the 1995 book sequel “Gump and Co.” The film adaptation of the first book was a box office powerhouse, earning 678 million worldwide and becoming the top-grossing film in the U.S. in 1994. Hanks won the Oscar for best actor, while the film took home the prize for best picture and four more Academy Awards.

“I will say that, with a long time in between, we did take a stab at talking about another ‘Forrest Gump’ that lasted all of 40 minutes,” Hanks said. “And then we never…we said, ‘Guys, come on.’”

Despite the film’s popularity and Oscar success, a sequel just never took concrete shape for Hanks and director Robert Zemeckis. Hanks’ career has not been jam-packed with sequels,...