Just when you thought WWII movies had sailed into the sunset, Tom Hanks is back in his naval cap, barking orders at Nazis—again. Apple's Greyhound sequel, set to film in January 2026, swaps the icy North Atlantic for the Pacific Theater. Hanks returns as Captain Krause, armed with another self-penned script. But here's the question: Was this voyage ever necessary?
The Case For (and Against) Another ‘Greyhound'
Let's be real—Greyhound (2020) was a COVID-era lifeline for Apple TV+, scoring record views when theaters were ghost towns. But strip away the pandemic desperation, and it was a solid, if unspectacular, war flick. Efficient. Tense. Forgotten by lunchtime.
Now, the sequel promises “higher stakes” in tropical waters. But WWII sequels? They're rarer than a Nazi with a conscience. Saving Private Ryan didn't spawn Saving Private Schmidt. Dunkirk didn't pivot to Dieppe: The Reckoning. So why now?
- Nostalgia Cash-In? Hanks loves playing the everyman hero—see: Sully, Captain Phillips, Bridge of Spies. But at 70, how many more times can he outrun torpedoes?
- Streaming's Sequel Addiction: Apple's desperate for franchises (Napoleon flopped, Argylle bombed). If Greyhound was their “big hit,” milking it makes sense—even if audiences didn't clamor for it.
The Unspoken Truth: War Movies Are a Sinking Ship
Post-Oppenheimer, WWII films feel different. Nolan's masterpiece was about consequences, not heroics. Greyhound 2 risks being a relic—a “men on a mission” trope in an era hungry for nuance.
Compare it to Master and Commander (2003), which flopped despite critical love. Or Midway (2019), a CGI mess that even history buffs ignored. The lesson? Audiences don't crave naval battles—they crave meaning.
The Wild Card: Theaters or Streaming?
Apple hasn't decided if this'll hit cinemas—a telling hesitation. Greyhound skipped theaters out of necessity. Now? A theatrical release would be a gamble. Because nothing says “box office risk” like a sequel to a movie nobody remembers.
Final Verdict: Anchors Aweigh or Dead in the Water?
Maybe Hanks has a masterstroke up his sleeve. Maybe tropical warfare brings fresh tension. Or maybe—just maybe—this is Hollywood's algorithm spitting out another “sure thing” that nobody asked for.
You tell us: Excited for Greyhound 2, or should this ship stay docked? Sound off below.
