Tom Hanks war movie ‘Greyhound’ finds berth at Apple TV+

Tom Hanks arrives on the red carpet for the BAFTA British Academy Film Awards at the Royal Opera House in London on Feb. 16, 2014. Image: AFP/Andrew Cowie

Actor and film producer Tom Hanks is moving his tense Navy drama “Greyhound” from a theatrical release in June to an Apple TV+ premiere.

It’s the story of a Navy officer up to his neck in wartime responsibility.

Despite his grand title, Commander Krause has just transferred over from years as a career officer. Inexperienced in battle and tormented by self-doubts, he is part of a convoy being pursued across the Atlantic by packs of submarines.

Produced through Tom Hanks’s Playtone company and adapted from C. S. Forrester’s WWII novel by the lead actor himself, “Greyhound” was once destined for theatrical release on June 12, courtesy of Sony Pictures.

The film has found its way through COVID-19 theater shutdowns to secure a berth at Apple’s TV+ service.

For Apple, it’s the first time it has taken on a film originally intended for theatrical screening.

The service has secured plenty of high profile contributors, with Hanks and frequent collaborator Steven Spielberg among the first raft of partner announcements via upcoming WWII aerial bomber miniseries “Masters of the Air”.

“Greyhound” is now going the same way, after Apple TV+ bought Sony’s distribution rights for a reported $70 million, with Deadline reporting the figure.

Subscription to Apple TV+ costs $4.99 per month, with a year’s worth of complimentary access given to purchasers of new iPhones, iPads and iPods, as well as Macs and standalone Apple TV set-top boxes.

As early adopters would begin to see their year of free access run out in November 2020, it’s still possible that “Greyhound” might form part of a late 2020 salvo to drive paid subscriptions.

Co-starring with Hanks in “Greyhound” are Stephen Graham (“Line of Duty”), Elisabeth Shue (“CSI”, “The Boys”), Karl Glusman (“The Neon Demon”), Manuel Garcia-Rulfo (“Sicario 2”) and Rob Morgan (“Stranger Things”).

It will be the third feature written by Hanks, after 1996 musical comedy “That Thing You Do!” and 2011 romcom “Larry Crowne”.

Directing “Greyhound” is Aaron Schneider, who turned heads with the Oscar-winning short “Two Soldiers” and scooped the Independent Spirit Awards’ Best First Feature accolade through “Get Low”. Other credits include cinematography on “Captain Cook’s Extraordinary Atlas” and the Eminem music video for “Lose Yourself”, and work as the second unit director of photography on James Cameron’s “Titanic”. JB

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