Tom Hanks Explains Why He Doesn’t Like Streaming Movies, While Making Nothing But Streaming Movies
Tom Hanks believes streaming is inferior to the cinema experience, even if he has released five straight-to-streaming movies in recent years.
Tom Hanks is not a fan of streaming movies. The actor explained his stance to The New Yorker, citing a myriad of options as the problem.
“Be honest: How many times have you – and maybe you alone, or you and your family – said, “Hey, let’s watch something tonight”? Great, you pick up the remote, and it takes you forever to agree on what you’re going to watch on Apple or Netflix or Hulu or Amazon Prime.”
He explained that after taking 45 minutes to decide on something forced upon you by other family members, the tedious nature of streaming still presents obstacles.
“You turn down the lights. You enter your f**king password. And the code comes along, and it asks for your billing address. And someone has to go through their phone, come up with a billing address.”
“So there’s another 15 minutes that are lost to the process. Now you’re finally ready to start the movie that you have all ‘agreed’ to watch. And you think, At last, let’s watch the movie. 17 minutes into it, you think, I have no investment in this movie whatsoever. I don’t like this movie. I’m going to leave the room and not bother watching the rest of this movie,” Tom Hanks added, cementing his stance.
The 66-year-old went on to tour the movie-going experience as the superior viewing experience.
“That doesn’t happen if you’ve been in a room full of strangers at 7:15. You’re hugely invested in it. All of your sinews, all of your money, all of your time, and intent you have mapped out in your life says, ‘I’m going to be in this cinema.’”
While one can appreciate Tom Hanks’ point, it’s impossible to overlook the irony in his words. The Academy Award-winning actor has appeared in five films exclusively released on streaming platforms. The trend began with Greyhound director Aaron Schneider. The movie was initially scheduled to be theatrically released in June 2020 by Sony Pictures.
But it was ultimately canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic after being delayed indefinitely. To save the movie, Sony sold the distribution rights to Apple TV+. The streamer released the Tom Hanks film digitally in July 2020. The project received glowing reviews from critics who praised its action sequences and runtime. Greyhound earned a nomination for Best Sound at the 93rd Academy Awards ceremony.
Tom Hanks made a memorable cameo appearance in Prime Video’s Borat Subsequent Moviefilm. And Paul Greengrass’ Western drama News of the World only hit theaters in the United States and China. Netflix handled distribution elsewhere. In 2021, the actor returned to AppleTV+ with the apocalyptic sci-fi film Finch before taking on a leading role in Pinocchio for Disney+.
Additionally, purchasing a ticket to a movie in a theater does not guarantee a gratifying experience or an instant love for the film. Cinemas can be a nightmare. Some people insist on having conversations, the snacks are often overpriced, and one must carve out a specific amount of time to leave the house for the experience, which may not be great.
Meanwhile, Tom Hanks can next be seen in Here. Billed as a drama, the movie is directed by Robert Zemeckis from a script by Eric Roth. The story, based on the graphic novel by Richard McGuire, chronicles the events of a single room and its occupants from the past and future. The film, featuring Robin Wright, Paul Bettany, and Kelly Reilly, is set for release in 2024.
