Almost every collaboration between Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks becomes an instant classic, it's no surprise that film fans are excited for the pair's next project.
The World War II epic Masters of the Air will premiere on Apple TV+ in the new year, and is based on the true story of the 100th Bomb Group—also known as the "Bloody Hundredth"—as they risk their lives in the skies over Nazi Germany.
With Hanks and Spielberg producing, Masters of the Air stars Elvis actor Austin Butler, British actress Lauren McQueen, Saltburn's Barry Keoghan and Sex Education star Ncuti Gatwa. Fantastic Beasts actor Callum Turner will also be making an appearance, as will Spielberg's son, Sawyer Spielberg.
Released on Wednesday, the new trailer promises action, romance, male bonding and plenty of explosions, as the flight crew head "straight into Hitler's territory." When they're not fighting 25,000 feet in the air, the group must battle icy conditions and the emotional and psychological horrors of war—with not everyone likely to make it home.
Masters of the Air is a companion piece to Band of Brothers, Spielberg and Hanks' 2001 World War II drama for HBO.
Written by Hanks and produced by Spielberg, the 10-episode miniseries told the tale of "Easy Company"—the 2nd Battalion of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment— as they battle through French, Dutch and German war zones.
Band of Brothers was a critical success, winning 34 awards. At the time, it was the most expensive TV show ever made, averaging $12.5 million per episode—nearly $22 million today.
It was followed by The Pacific in 2010, a 10-episode saga about the United States Marine Corps during the Pacific War. In 2020, Band of Brothers and The Pacific tied for the #66 spot in the 100 Best TV Shows of All Time, which is based on critics' average score on Metacritic.
Spielberg and Hanks also collaborated on the Oscar-winning WWII film Saving Private Ryan (1998), in which the latter also starred. Since Band of Brothers' release, we've entered the "Golden Age" of television, with studios willing to splash the cash for bigger and better stories.
According to Deadline, Masters of the Air cost Apple roughly $200 million per episode to produce, with the trailer suggesting a cinematic experience few other TV shows have been able to offer.
In a statement, Apple described the series as "enormous in both scale and scope, and a genuine cinematic achievement."
The first two episodes will be available to stream on Apple TV+ on January 26, 2024, with the remaining seven episodes dropping weekly.
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Sophie is a Newsweek Pop Culture and Entertainment Reporter based in Lincoln, UK. Her focus is reporting on film and ... Read more
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