Apple TV+ Snags Tom Hanks Blockbuster ‘Greyhound’

What do you get when you snag exclusive streaming rights to a summer blockbuster movie starring the nicest man in Hollywood, Tom Hanks? Apple (AAPL) - Get Report is hoping lots of Apple TV+ subscribers.

Apple TV+ has snagged Tom Hanks's big-screen World War II-era movie "Greyhound" from Sony Pictures for a reported $70 million, which it plans to stream directly to its subscribers thanks to the coronavirus pandemic and still-shuttered movie theaters.

The blockbuster movie, starring Hanks and produced by Sony Pictures, was originally meant to be released in theaters on Father's Day but will now be streamed directly to Apple TV+ subscribers, according to reports, though a release date hasn't been selected.

The direct-to-home release marks the first major non-animated movie to be released on a streaming service rather than in theaters, many of which remain closed due to the pandemic. It also marks Apple TV+’s biggest film release on ‌Apple TV‌+ to date.

Universal Pictures, owned Comcast (CMCSA) - Get Report, opted to bypass theaters and release its “Trolls: World Tour” animated movie directly to consumers amid the coronavirus pandemic and global lockdown. In response, AMC Theaters (AMC) - Get Report earlier this month said it will no longer screen films made by Universal.

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