Tom Hanks stars in the World War II thriller Greyhound, which has recently experienced a massive surge in viewership on Apple TV. The film, based on a novel by C.S. Forester, focuses on the Battle of the Atlantic and is now paving the way for a sequel.

The Apple TV resurgence of Commander Ernest Krause

The film Greyhound has managed to climb back to the top of the charts on Apple TV, where it currently ranks among the platform's biggest and most favorite movies . According to Collider, the film has avoided the typical fate of many pandemic-era releases by attracting a new "tidal wave of attention" from audiences long after its initial debut.

This resurgence suggests that the film's tight pacing and suspenseful nature have given it a longer shelf life than other titles released during the same period. By maintaining a high position on the Apple TV interface, Greyhound has transitioned from a forgotten streaming title into a cornerstone of the platform's current movie library.

C.S. Forester's 'The Good Shepherd' and the U-boat threat

The narrative of Greyhound is adapted from the novel The Good Shepherd written by C.S. Forester. As Collider reported, the story follows Commander Ernest Krause, played by Tom Hanks, as he leads an Allied convoy across the Atlantic Ocean while being relentlessly hunted by German U-boats.

The film focuses heavily on the psychological toll of the Battle of the Atlantic, emphasizing the danger of hidden threats lurking in the murky depths. This atmospheric dread is a central pillar of the movie, as the crew of the Allied ships must contend with the reality that their vessels could explode without warning from an unseen enemy beneath the surface.

From Stephen Graham to Chet Hanks: The ensemble behind the convoy

While Tom Hanks leads the production as Commander Krause, the film features a wide array of supporting talent to fill out the naval crew. The cast includes Stephen Graham, known for The Irishman, as Charlie Cole, and Rob Morgan, who appeared in Don’t Look Up, in the role of Cleveland.

The ensemble is further rounded out by Elisabeth Shue as Evelyn, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo as Lopez,and Karl Glusman as Eppstein.. Other key roles are played by Tom Brittney as Lieutenant Watson, Devin Druid as Wallace, and Chet Hanks as Bushnell. This collective performance helps ground the high-stakes military thriller in a believable human dynamic, contributing to the film's overall efficiency.

A sequel to 'Greyhound' arrives after the pandemic fade

The renewed interest in Greyhound is particularly timely given that a sequel to the film is now in development.. This development comes after a period where the movie seemed destined for a "pandemic fade," a phenomenon affecting many films released in 2020 and 2021 that disappeared from public consciousness shortly after their digital premieres.

The success of Greyhound reflects a broader trend where streaming services are discovering that high-quality genre pieces can find a second life through algorithmic recommendations and word-of-mouth. By surviving the 2020-2021 slump, the film has proven there is a sustained appetite for focused, historical military thrillers on digital platforms.

However, several specifics regarding the future of the franchise remain unverified. It is currently unknown who will return to the cast for the sequel, what the specific plot of the second film will be, or if the production will continue to rely on the works of C.S. Forester for its screenplay.