Tom Hanks' New Film Greyhound Going Straight to Streaming Due to Coronavirus

Tom Hanks' latest film "Greyhound" has found a new home at Apple TV Plus.

The WWII naval drama, which was previously set to be released in theaters next month, will now be premiering on the streaming service due to the coronavirus pandemic, Deadline reported Tuesday.

According to the publication, Apple purchased the rights from Sony Pictures for around 70 million following a bidding war. The six-month-old streamer did not disclose a release date.

Sony Pictures announced in early March that they had moved the "Greyhound" release date from May 8 to Father's Day weekend on June 19. However, that was all before the pandemic impacted studios' slates and forced theaters to close around the world.

The film's new home on Apple TV Plus will become the biggest feature film to premiere on the platform.

"Greyhound" follows the story of captain Ernest Krause (Hanks) in his first command of the Navy destroyer Greyhound, including 37 Allied ships, during the Battle of Atlantic in the early days of WWII.

Based on C.S. Forester's novel "The Good Sheperd," the film is written by Hanks and also stars Stephen Graham, Rob Morgan and Elisabeth Shue. Aaron Schneider is directing Hanks' screenplay.

"Greyhound" is the latest movie in a growing list of films that have opted for a digital debut instead of postponing until theaters will re-open, which won't likely happen until July at the earliest due to the pandemic.

Hanks has experienced firsthand the effects of the global health crisis after he became the first major movie star to reveal they had tested positive for COVID-19. The Oscar winner was filming the Baz Luhrmann Elvis Presley biopic in Australia when he and his wife, Rita Wilson, announced they had been diagnosed with the virus.