It's a new month, and that means new movies on Hulu. And somebody over there really loves Tom Hanks. Because in this month alone, Hulu is adding Hanks' directorial debut, That Thing You Do, one of his most iconic films, Big, and one of his most recent hits, Elvis. But if we had to choose only one Hulu movie to stream in May 2024, then our pick is another Tom Hanks movie: Cast Away.
Robert Zemeckis directed the film from a script by William Broyles Jr. It cast Hanks as Chuck Noland, a FedEx employee who survives a plane crash in the Pacific ocean, only to find himself stranded on an island in the middle of nowhere without anyone to turn to but himself. Cast Away was actually a big hit in late 2000 and during the early part of 2001, earning $429.6 million worldwide. That may not have translated into Oscar gold for two-time Best Actor winner Hanks, but Cast Away is an unforgettable film that deserves a new audience nearly 24 years after it hit theaters.
Tom Hanks throws himself into his role
HBO Now is going mainstream. A new deal brings the standalone streaming service to Verizon Internet customers, giving users a reason to celebrate, not to mention binge-watch. The service, which serves HBO’s entire catalog without the need for a cable or satellite subscription — “all you need is the internet.” Now Verizon can sell you both, and HBO looks poised to reap the benefits.
While Verizon Internet customers will have new opportunities to check out the service without the need for cable, the deal includes the rights for Verizon distribute HBO Now “to Verizon digital platforms, including to more than 100 million Verizon Wireless customers and other consumers with handsets and/or tablets.” The deal opens up a plethora of opportunities for both companies to bring in new revenue streams.
Verizon announced the news Tuesday, sharing that HBO Now is available immediately to Verizon FiOS Internet and HSI customers. Customers can start with a free 30-day trial before adding the service for the standard $15 a month. From there, they’ll be able to access HBO Now by downloading the app on compatible devices, including Android phones and tablets, Amazon Fire Tablets, iPhones, iPads, and the Apple TV. Once the app is downloaded, users can select “Verizon” from the drop down menu of providers to get started, and can then access content from their devices, or computers at hbonow.com.
“Our customers want choice in accessing premium content when and where they choose, on a variety of devices,” said Ben Grad, Verizon’s executive director of content strategy and acquisition. “HBO Now brings compelling content and choice to Verizon broadband customers today.”
Verizon also highlighted the “exciting possibilities” the deal creates, especially for channeling HBO content within Verizon’s upcoming mobile video platform. Users will still have to subscribe to HBO Now for unlimited access to the network’s content, but it sounds like there will be perks either way. It’s definitely intriguing, given that Verizon has such a massive reach in the mobile market, along with its various other platforms, making HBO execs giddy with the possibility of additional dollar signs through a variety of bundling, and other tie-in opportunities for the network’s sought after content.
HBO Now has grown steadily since its April 2015 launch, quickly becoming the most profitable app in the iTunes store, and this new deal seems like a perfect chance for HBO to expand the service’s growing subscriber base. By enticing Verizon users with the free trial, HBO Now will then have the opportunity to hook them with its addictive content. We’ll see how efficiently they can convert that giant Verizon client base into customers of their own.