World War II film “Greyhound” will premiere on the Apple TV+ streaming television service. Deadline reports that the Tom Hanks starring vehicle was originally meant to be released in theaters on Father’s Day by Sony Pictures, but plans changed, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on theater releases.
The film will mark the biggest film release on Apple TV+ to date. The report indicates there was a huge bidding battle between streamers for the rights to stream the film, and Apple may have paid as much as $70 million to win the rights.
Sony retains the right to distribute the movie in China, where it could see a theatrical run. The deal was approved by Hanks, and this marks the first time that one of his movies has skipped theaters and gone straight to streaming.
Apple hasn’t yet set a release date for the film, although Deadline says it could be coming soon.
Many movie theaters in the United States and around the globe remain closed, causing many film studios to either delay theatrical releases or immediately offer films on-demand.
In “Greyhound,” Hanks plays George Krause, a career officer given command of a Navy destroyer Greyhound during the Battle of the Atlantic. Krause must fight both his own self-doubts and the enemy as he tries to prove he deserves the command.