It’s been a long time since Saving Private Ryan, but Tom Hanks finally returns to the grim and gritty days of World War II in the new trailer for Greyhound from Sony Pictures. The action-packed nautical film is based on the 1955 novel The Good Shepherd. From USA Today:
In the early days of the war, Navy Capt. Ernest Krause (Hanks) is entrusted with his first command of a U.S. destroyer (code name: Greyhound) protecting an Allied convoy of 37 ships as it crosses the Atlantic. Things don’t go as planned, of course, and the Allies find themselves fending off packs of Nazi submarines in murky waters, while a stoic Hanks vows to “bring hell down from on high” on the attackers.
Hanks isn’t just the star of Greyhound, he’s also the screenwriter. The beloved actor has been trying to get the project off the ground since at least 2016. While the film is touted as “based on actual events,” the characters and even the ship itself are all fictional. However, filming did take place on an actual warship, the USS Kidd, which is getting a much needed renovation thanks to the film’s production. WBRZ reports:
Some film crews are sticking around, putting everything back together on the ship. The executive director of the museum says something will remain long after everyone is gone: the economic impact.
“Financially, we’ve come out doing a little better than we would through our regular admissions, overnights and rentals,” David Beard said.
Beard says funding the museum hasn’t always been easy.
“We took a big hit in 2016 with the flood. The museum was closed for 30 days.”
So with the help of huge productions, like the filming of ‘Greyhound’, the USS Kidd has been able to do some renovations. The gift shop has been rearranged with new cabinets and paint.
“We’ve been building back up, catching back up,” said Beard.
Given Hanks’ reputation as one of the nicest guys in Hollywood and his love for history, we’re sure he’s glad to hear that his passion project helped the World War II museum get back on its feet.