UPDATE: Tom Hanks has clarified his comments about GREYHOUND going directly to streaming. In his first TV interview since recovering from coronavirus, Hanks appeared on the Today Show and had this to say about GREYHOUND finding a home at Apple:
"This is a magnificent gift that’s come to us because of Apple. Because COVID-19 did something heartbreaking to us all. It closed down the theaters. We don’t have the cinema. There isn’t anybody that doesn’t like going to see a good movie with 800 other people and coming out with something in common. Barring that, Apple Television has saved the day for us. We had a magnificent movie that was not going to be seen because of the realities."
Nothing can really replace the theatrical experience and while most of us have adapted since movie theaters have been closed since mid-March in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, it's pretty clear that certain films were made to be experienced on the big screen. Tom Hanks' GREYHOUND was set to open this summer over Father's Day weekend but it was shifted to premiere on Apple TV+ after movie theater closures forced studios to move release dates or resort to PVOD or streaming as another viewing option. The war film was clearly intended for a big-screen debut and Hanks says he's heartbroken over the fact that GREYHOUND is skipping theaters for that very reason.
While speaking with "The Guardian", Hanks was happy that Apple TV+ gives people the opportunity to safely see the film at home but he acknowledges that the difference in picture and sound quality makes the theatrical experience the superior way to view the film. Hanks called the decision "an absolute heartbreak" and went on to say "I don't mean to make angry my Apple overlords, but there is a difference in picture and sound quality. There is definitely a change in quality."
I can understand Hanks' point of view, especially considering he has been involved with the project for ten years. The film is directed by Aaron Schneider and written by Hanks and is based on the 1955 novel "The Good Shepherd" by C.S. Forester. The project was announced back in 2016 and pre-production took place in January of 2018 at sea onboard the HMCS Montreal. Eventually, Stephen Graham, Elisabeth Shue, Rob Morgan, Karl Glusman, and Manuel Garcia-Rulfo joined the cast and production started in Lousiana aboard the USS Kidd in Baton Rouge. Hanks and all involved were likely very invested in presenting the best film possible so it has to sting that the effort to make the film look and sound like it was equipped for the big screen, will now be regulated to our smart TVs at home.
Apple landed the rights for GREYHOUND for $70 million to make the film an exclusive for its streaming service. Hanks could honestly do a lot worse than Apple TV+ because the service offers much higher data speeds than Netflix or Amazon Prime Video with 4K date bitrates reportedly in the 29-41 Mb/s range. Throw in a good surround sound system and GREYHOUND could look and sound pretty good at home but I'm well aware that it won't be near the level of experiencing the film in theaters.
GREYHOUND follows a US Navy Commander on his first war-time assignment in command of a multi-national escort group defending a merchant ship convoy under attack by submarines in early-1942 during the Battle of the Atlantic, only months after the U.S. officially entered World War II. As of this writing, with 34 reviews counted, the film is certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with a 74%.
Will YOU check out GREYHOUND on Apple TV+? Do YOU think it should've been released theatrically? The film hits Apple TV+ on July 10, 2020.