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Tom Hanks' WWII Drama Greyhound To Skip Cinemas For Apple TV+ Release

Tom Hanks' WWII Drama Greyhound To Skip Cinemas For Apple TV+ Release

Previously, Greyhound had been set to be released in cinemas on Father’s Day on 21 June

Jess Hardiman

Jess Hardiman

Tom Hanks' new flick Greyhound will be skipping its theatrical release and heading straight to streaming service Apple TV+, according to a new report from Deadline.

The entertainment news website claims Apple TV+ has bought the worldwide rights for the WWII drama, following a bidding war for the new film.

Previously, Greyhound had been set to be released in cinemas on 12 June to tie in with Father's Day, but as the global coronavirus pandemic continues to keep venues shut, that's now looking particularly unlikely.

According to Deadline, Apple TV+ confirmed the deal yesterday (19 May), but did not confirm when it would be releasing the film - though its debut is believed to be 'soon'.

Hanks with wife Rita Wilson.
PA

It will reportedly premiere in more than 100 countries, making the move 'the biggest feature film commitment made by Apple to premiere on Apple TV+'.

Directed by Aaron Schneider and based on C.S. Forester's 1955 novel The Good Shepherd, the movie stars 63-year-old Hanks as Ernest Krause, a US Navy Commander on his first wartime assignment, having been tasked with crossing the North Atlantic while being pursued by Nazi submarines.

Stephen Graham, Rob Morgan and Elisabeth Shue will also co-star in the film.

The news comes after Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson, also 63, became two of the first major Hollywood stars to test positive for coronavirus.

Hanks had been filming Baz Luhrmann's forthcoming biopic about Elvis Presley when the pair started to experience symptoms of the virus.

Explaining what their symptoms felt like in a social media post back in March, Hanks said: "We felt a bit tired, like we had colds, and some body aches.

"Rita had some chills that came and went. Slight fevers too. To play things right, as is needed in the world right now, we were tested for the coronavirus, and were found to be positive.

"Well, now. What to do next? The Medical Officials have protocols that must be followed. We Hanks' will be tested, observed, and isolated for as long as public health and safety requires. Not much more to it than a one-day-at-a-time approach, no?"

After self isolating, they were treated in hospital and made a full recovery in Australia before returning to LA - having since donated their blood to help as part of the effort to find a vaccine for the virus.

Sharing photos of his donation, Hanks tweeted: "Here's last week's bag of plasma. Such a bag! After the paperwork, it's as easy as taking a nap."

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Film, Entertainment, TV and Film, Tom Hanks