Tom Hanks is heading off to the frontlines again – but his new movie, Greyhound, has got a new theater of war, having shifted from a theatrical release to instead streaming exclusively on Apple TV+. It’s a change that could create some interesting ripple effects throughout the movie industry.
Deadline reveals that Tom Hanks-starring Greyhound, originally set to release in cinemas on June 19, had its streaming rights put up for grabs, with a deal ultimately being cut with Apple.
The Saving Private Ryan star (who also penned the script) leads a cast that features Stephen Graham (The Irishman), Rob Morgan (Daredevil) and Elizabeth Shue (The Boys). Greyhound centres around Hanks’ character, George Krause, commander of Navy ship Greyhound during World War Two’s Battle of the Atlantic in 1942. No release date has yet been given.
Looking beyond Greyhound as merely a movie, though, it’s worth noting that the impact it could have on the industry-at-large could matter most.
Movies that were previously earmarked for theatrical release have opted for mostly video-on-demand options since the COVID-19 pandemic forced the closure of cinemas worldwide.
Now, with the likes of Greyhound (previously under the Sony Pictures umbrella) going to Apple TV+, it potentially opens the market up for the likes of Netflix and HBO Max to dip their toes into the waters of some mid-tier releases. Where middling box-office returns may have been expected, now, an entirely new audience can jump on to their favoured streaming service and watch it on day one – starting with Greyhound.
