Earlier we noted that, according to The Wall Street Journal, Apple has “made overtures to cinema chains and consulted with an entertainment executive” as it considers following a traditional theatrical release plan that would keep its films in theaters for weeks before availability on Apple TV+, the company’s upcoming streaming service. Now Variety has given up an update on the situation.
The entertainment publication says that, with the help of three boutique distribution companies, Apple will be taking titles including Anthony Mackie’s “The Banker,” Minhal Baig’s “Hala” and the wildlife doc “The Elephant Queen” into select cities nationwide before the titles upload to Apple TV Plus, which will launch Nov. 1.
The Banker is a fact-based period drama in which Anthony Mackie and Samuel L. Jackson play entrepreneurs who tried to circumvent the racial limitations of the 1950s as they turned their business savvy into social activism and decided to help African Americans get loans in Texas. They enlisted a working class white man named Matt Steiner (Nicholas Hoult) to be their front man, educating him on what to say and how to conduct himself.
Hala is a coming-of-age drama from writer-director Minhal Baig and executive producer Jada Pinkett Smith. It centers on 17-year-old Hala, who’s navigating the conflicting worlds of her traditional Muslim household and her modern high school. As she struggles with her identity, she uncovers a secret that threatens to destroy her nuclear family.
Here’s how “The Elephant Queen” is described: “Athena is a mother who will do everything in her power to protect her herd when they are forced to leave their waterhole. This epic journey, narrated by Chiwetel Ejiofor, takes audiences across the African savannah, and into the heart of an elephant family. A tale of love, loss and coming home.”
Apple TV+ will cost $4.99 per month. However, you can get a free year’s subscription with the purchase of a new Mac, iPad, or iPhone.
Speaking of Apple TV+, Apple has released trailers for its upcoming shows “’Snoopy in Space,” “Ghostwriter,” and “Helpsters.” You can view them on the Apple TV+ YouTube page.
