Apple TV+ recently took a big step forward when the new platform bought the Tom Hanks-led Greyhound for its biggest purchase yet. The World War II drama based on C.S. Foreste’s novel The Good Shepherd previously abandoned ship on its June theatrical release date, and now we know exactly when the film will drop straight to streaming.
Greyhound will exclusively hit Apple TV+ on July 10 in over 100 countries instead of its initial Father’s Day weekend release date, per Deadline. The streaming service nabbed the film rights from Sony Pictures in mid-May for $70 million in the midst of theater closures and production shutdowns. By the estimation of AMC Theaters and the National Association of Theatre Owners, multiplexes may finally reopen next month too, but either way, Apple TV+ subscribers can tune into a brand new Tom Hanks film from the comfort of their homes.
The upcoming movie centers on Tom Hanks’ Ernest Krause, a Navy veteran and first-time captain during the historic Battle of the Atlantic. Krause must protect 37 ships and all the soldiers inside from a slew of German Nazi U-boats over a five-day period without air cover with the three escort ships at his disposal. Tom Hanks wrote the script and Get Low’s Aaron Schneider directed. Check out the Greyhound trailer below:
Tom Hanks is no stranger to a WWII flick previously with his starring role in Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan. The actor is coming off a high-profile run in with the current health crisis, which his wife, Rita Wilson, was also directly affected by back in March. The couple were the first well-known names to publicly test positive for the disease. After his work on Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis Presley biopic closed down filming in Australia, Hanks quarantined with his wife Down Under until it was safe for them to return to their home in Los Angeles.
The couple has been spreading awareness about the coronavirus and its treatments, and have been busy donating plasma to contribute to the effort of a vaccine. Aside from Greyhound, other studios (namely Universal) have also released a few films straight-to-VOD instead of delaying every theatrical release, and Disney+ plans to drop Artemis Fowl this Friday.
Greyhound could be big for Apple TV+, as the streaming service continues to compete with Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Disney+ and new addition HBO Max. The service launched in November with an instant hit in the Golden Globe-nominated The Morning Show. It has also brought on Chris Evans for the drama Defending Jacob, Bob’s Burgers’ creators for Central Park, and Samuel L. Jackson for The Banker, among others.
Stay tuned for Greyhound on July 10 and what’s coming next in 2020 with CinemaBlend’s movie release calendar.
