Tom Hanks’ “Greyhound” is the latest movie to skip theaters and head straight to streaming — in this case, to Apple TV+. Deadline reported last month that Apple had picked up the film, which now has a release date of July 10.
Sony had previously pushed back the movie’s release multiple times, most recently settling on June 19 (Father’s Day weekend).
Of course, those plans were scuttled by the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting theatrical closures. Although theaters are preparing to reopen with new social distancing measures, with Warner Bros’ “Tenet” and Disney’s “Mulan” scheduled for release in July, it remains to be seen whether moviegoers are ready to return.
Meanwhile, studios have taken different strategies for different films — delaying some, accelerating VOD/streaming releases for others and either skipping theaters for their own streaming services (in the case of Disney) or selling films to streamers (in the case of Netflix and “The Lovebirds”). Sony went the latter route, with “Greyhound” going to Apple.
Aaron Schneider directed the film, while Hanks wrote the screenplay based on C.S. Forester’s novel “The Good Shepherd.” He also stars as a first-time Naval captain during World War II who has to protect a convoy of 37 ships from Nazi U-boats.
Apple was already working with Hanks on “Masters of Air,” a World War II series executive produced by Hanks, Gary Goetzman (who also produced “Greyhound”) and Steven Spielberg.