Tom Hanks’ WWII movie “Greyhound” saw the largest opening weekend release on Apple TV +, according to “sources close to Apple” who spoke Deadline.
“Greyhound” saw more viewers than any other movie or TV show released on Apple TV + to date during its launch weekend, and the film is said to have a “visual audience befitting a huge box office hit at summer cinema “.
Before the current public health crisis that closed movie theaters in the United States and other countries, “Greyhound” was due to be released in theaters. Instead, Sony Pictures sold the Apple rights for $ 70 million, making “Greyhound” the first Tom Hanks movie to go straight to streaming services without a theatrical debut.
In an interview, Hanks called the direct launch of Apple TV + “an utter heartbreak” due to the difference in picture and sound quality between a home TV and a movie theater.
Along with its position as the number one movie release on Apple TV +, “Greyhound” also appears to have attracted a new audience. 30 percent of those who watched the movie were new to the Apple TV + service.
In “Greyhound,” Hanks takes on the role of Navy veteran and Captain George Krause, who is fighting his own doubts as he leads a convoy of allied ships against German submarines in the Battle of the Atlantic to demonstrate that he belongs in command. The film has a positive 80 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
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