Apple TV+ today launched its new big-budget limited series, Masters of the Air, a long-awaited installment in the Band of Brothers and The Pacific franchise. Based on the book of the same name, Masters of the Air follows the 100th Bomb Group as they take on treacherous air raids, in broad daylight.
Executive produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, the show’s star-studded cast list includes Austin Butler, Callum Turner, Barry Keoghan, Ncuti Gatwa and more …
Austin Butler plays Major Gale Cleven, nicknamed “Buck”. The series is centered on the experiences of his and fellow pilot Major John Egan, “Bucky”, played by Callum Turner.
However, the vast scope of the show entails a huge laundry list of additional high-profile cast members, including Anthony Boyle, Barry Keoghan, Raff Law, Ncuti Gatwa, and many more.
Human drama of airborne warfare is realized in the series with epic battles and missions in the sky, as well as on-the-ground action. Airmen face the terrors of war on a gruelling schedule, and most of the 100th Bomb Group do not survive. Some of the men end up at prisoner war of camps, giving insight into another area of World War II.
The show has been in the works for more than a decade, with writer John Orloff originally developing the script for HBO. As the estimated production budget ballooned, HBO exited and Apple picked up the series.
Principal photography began in 2021, albeit COVID and other factors delayed the production and post-production periods. It is rumored to have cost in the region of $300 million to make.
The first two episodes of the series are streaming right now on Apple TV+. The remainder of the season will roll out weekly, with a new episode each Friday through March 15. There are nine episodes in total.
If you are getting an Apple TV+ subscription for the first time to check out this series, you may also be interested in the Apple original film Greyhound, starring Tom Hanks.
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