Launching the Tom Hanks movie “Greyhound” on Apple TV instead of theaters is an “absolute heartbreak” for the movie star, an interview reveals, with Hanks also taking the opportunity to mock Apple’s public relations policies. during the current COVID-19 pandemic.
In the days leading up to the July 10 release of “Greyhound” on Apple TV +, veteran actor Tom Hanks has to deal with the usual gauntlet of interviews and public appearances expected of such a star. However, the film’s marketing is being tempered by the continuing coronavirus pandemic, which has impacted not only the interview, but also the film’s release and Hanks’ life.
Originally intended for a theatrical release, Greyhound is being offered through Apple’s proprietary streaming service, due to COVID-19 social distancing measures closing theaters worldwide. The move to the small screen for a production set for theaters has led to disappointment for Hanks, who refers to the change in plans as “utter heartbreak” in an interview with the guardian.
“I don’t want to piss off my Apple lords, but there is a difference in image and sound quality,” says Hanks.
Apple reportedly picked up the Sony Pictures movie for around $ 70 million in an auction run by CAA Media Finance and FilmNation.
Soon after, Hanks apparently teases Apple’s public relations team about the interview, which had to be conducted through a video call. According to Hanks, “Apple’s cruel whip masters” asked him to use a blank wall as a background, to prevent someone from snooping around Hanks’ office instead of talking about the movie.
Hanks suggests that it appears to be on “a witness protection show, but here I am, yielding to the needs of Apple TV.”
The release of Greyhound is not the only thing in Hanks’ life that has been hurt by COVID-19, as he was one of the high-profile celebrities infected with the virus, along with his wife. In March, the couple was diagnosed with the virus and hospitalized for three days.
Set during World War II, Greyhound tells the story of Captain George Krause, a naval officer who leads an international navy of ships on a mission to deliver troops and suppliers to Allied forces during the Battle of the Atlantic. Along the way, Krause has to fight personal demons and self-doubt to become an effective leader of the Army destroyer.
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