When it was announced last month that Greyhound, a WWII drama written by and starring Tom Hanks, had pivoted to Apples streaming service amid a movie release schedule upended by coronavirus, I couldnt help but wonder what Hanks would make of Apples, uh, notoriouslyhands-on approach to its entertainment projects. Well, now we have an idea.
Per an interview with the Guardian, the shift hasnt been an especially comfortable one. Speaking to the publication for a wide-ranging profile that touched on, among other things, the naval ship drama set to premiere on Apple TV+ this month, Hanks called the films scrapped theatrical release an absolute heartbreak. I dont mean to make angry my Apple overlords, but there is a difference in picture and sound quality.
Its not that surprising to see Hanks mourning the death of cinema as hes known it for the majority of his time on this earth or doing the interview equivalent of shaking his fist at the sky. But his Apple overlords commentcoupled with his characterization of the company in other parts of the profileis telling.
According to the Guardian, Hanks said the cruel whipmasters at Apple determined that he a needed an (apparently weird)blank backdrop behind him during the interview, despite it being conducted from his office. Additionally, Hanks observedthe blank backdrop made him seem like he was in a witness protection programme. But here I am, bowing to the needs of Apple TV. Yikes.
Nuances of tone like sarcasm and joking dont always come through in print interviews. But its hard to imagine Hanks isnthaving a tough time adjusting to the parameters set by a Silicon Valley Goliath thats decided to muscle its way into the streaming warsincluding by capitalizing on the tight spot that the pandemic has put the film industry in. Apple reportedly swooped in to buy the Hollywood stars big-budget boat movie as the film was struggling to find a release slot amid uncertain re-openings and ongoing delays for other high-stakes releases. According to CNBC, Hanks himself had to approve the terms of the rumored $70 million licensing deal between Apple and Sony Pictures.
Still, Hanks sounds pretty salty about the way the deal shook out. If theaters cant rebound from ongoing closures and declining sales, though, the standards set by his meddling Apple overlords and those at rival streaming services may be the new normal for Americas dad.read more
America’s Dad Sounds Kinda Mad at Apple
