Masters Of The Air is the latest installment in the Band Of Brothers war drama series, and it's coming to Apple TV Plus on Friday, January 26, 2024.
The drama features a big-name cast led by Academy Award-nominee Austin Butler, Callum Turner, Anthony Boyle, Nate Mann, Rafferty Law, Academy Award-nominee Barry Keoghan, Josiah Cross, Branden Cook, and Doctor Who's Ncuti Gatwa.
Based on the book Masters Of The Air: America’s Bomber Boys Who Fought the Air War Against Nazi Germany by Donald L. Miller this war epic tells the story of the actions of the US Army’s elite Eighth Air Force of the United States Army, who brought the war to Hitler's doorstep by bombing Berlin, Hanover, Leipzig and Dresden, destroying enemy targets like rail facilities and oil refineries, while also being expected to engage in air-to-air fighter combat at 25,000ft. The missions were highly dangerous and produced many heroes.
It reunites the award-winning team of Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman who also produced Band of Brothers and The Pacific.
“Masters of the Air is a salute to the brave men of the 8th Air Force, who, through their courage and brotherhood, helped defeat Nazi Germany in World War II," said executive producer Gary Goetzman.
"Tom and Steven have always wanted to visualize cinematically what our author Don Miller has called, this 'singular event in the history of warfare'. We’re thrilled that Apple TV Plus has given us the opportunity to combine the efforts of so many talented people, on-screen and behind the camera, to tell this important story."
Here’s everything you need to know about the epic war series Masters Of The Air...
Masters Of The Air release date
Masters Of The Air will premiere globally on Friday, January 26, 2024. The series will launch with two episodes, followed by one new episode every Friday through March 15, 2024.
Is there a Masters Of The Air trailer?
You can see Austin Butler and the rest of the Masters Of The Air cast in action in a teaser trailer. Take a look below for all the amazing World War Two action...
First look at 'Masters of the Air' It's Steven Spielberg & Tom Hanks next WWII series after 'Band of Brothers' & 'The Pacific' Releasing on Apple TV+ in 2023 pic.twitter.com/5FhQnZwlVyDecember 2, 2022
Masters of The Air cast — Austin Butler is Gale Cleven
Austin Butler takes the main role in Masters Of The Air of American airman Gale Cleven. The California-born actor and musician has received critical acclaim for his portrayal of Elvis Presley in the hit 2022 biopic movie Elvis by Baz Luhrmann. He's previously had roles playing James "Wilke" Wilkerson in the TV series Switched At Birth, Tex Watson in Once Upon A Time in Hollywood, Jordan Gallagher in Ruby & The Rockits, Sebastian Kydd in The Carrie Dairies and Wil Ohmsford in The Shannara Chronicles.
Anthony Boyle is Major Crosby
Anthony Boyle is set to play Major Crosby in Masters of The Air. He’s just starred as Brian Wood in the BBC2 drama Danny Boy, based on the true life story of a soldier’s journey from hero to alleged war criminal. He's also appeared in Ordeal by Innocence, The Plot Against America, Tolkien and Derry Girls.
Callum Turner is Major John Egan
After the wartime bombing campaign depicted in Masters Of The Air, real-life American Air Force hero Major John Egan served in Korea and the Far East. Then, after attending the National War College in Washington DC he was assigned duties in the Policy Division, Directorate of Plans. At 45, he died of a heart attack in 1961 and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
Callum Turner, who plays Egan, received a nomination for a Best Actor BAFTA for his performance in the 2019 thriller The Capture. He’s also known for starring as Theseus Scamander in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald and as Frank Churchill in the 2020 film Emma.
Raff Law is Sgt Ken Lemmons
Jude Law’s actor son Raff will play Sgt Ken Lemmons in Masters of The Air. He took the lead role in Twist, the modern take on the classic tale of Oliver Twist, alongside Michael Caine, Rita Ora and Lena Headey, and has appeared in modeling campaigns for Dolce & Gabanna and Timberland.
Josh Bolt is Lt. Winifred 'Pappy' Lewis
Josh Bolt is playing the airman Lt. Winifred 'Pappy' Lewis in Masters Of The Air. The actor told the podcast My Time Capsule a little about the experience, which he says has been absolutely incredible. "The scale and the scope of it is amazing — it's Apple TV, it's Spielberg! The only downside to it was I had to have a really horrendous haircut for eight months! The director called me down to set and said the guy I was playing was nicknamed 'The Bald Eagle!' because he went bald at 20! So they shaved off my hair and made me a bald patch! Every morning I'd sit with the lovely make up team who'd give me a head shave. But I knew it was Tom Hanks and Stephen Spielberg producing so of course I didn't mind."
Josh played Rob Dawson in the hit ITV comedy Benidorm, and he also starred as Raff in five series of BBC drama Last Tango In Halifax. Josh is no stranger to filming war epics — in 2018 he starred as US airman Dunbar in the Channel 4 adaptation of Catch 22 directed by George Clooney. In 2020 he portrayed killer Michael Barton in the BBC1 drama Anthony by Jimmy McGovern.
As a child star Josh took the lead role in the British movie The Be All And End All, plus ITV drama Just Henry in 2011. He was also a teen when he played Pete Shotton in the John Lennon movie Nowhere Boy.
Who else is starring?
Also starring in Masters of The Air are Barry Keoghan (Dunkirk) plays Lt. Curtis Biddick, American actor Nate Mann (Little Women, Ray Donovan) as Major Rosie Rosenthal. Louis Greatorex (Catch 22) plays Captain Joseph 'Bubbles' Payne. Freddy Carter (Shadow and Bone) plays Lt. David Friedkin, Sam Gittins (The Smoke) is Sgt William McClelland and Nikolai Kinski (son of late German actor Klaus Kinski) is Colonel Harold Huglin. Mikey Collins (The Terror) is Lt. Paul Joseph Schmalenbach.
Fans of musicals might be excited that Luke Baker, who starred as the school bully Dean in the West End stage version of Everybody's Talking About Jamie, will play Sgt. Vern M Best. James Murray (Prince Andrew in The Crown) will be playing Colonel Neil 'Chick' Harding.
Masters Of The Air filming locations
A former World War II airfield near Abingdon, Oxfordshire, was used as a Masters Of The Air filming location, as well as nearby Dalton Barracks. Meanwhile, a sprawling US Airforce base was constructed for the drama at the site of a disused university and hotel in the Buckinghamshire countryside near Chalfont St Giles, at a cost of $7 million. This will be the large personnel hub of a US Army Air Forces airfield, and has a collection of full-sized Nissen Huts plus other outbuildings. The sleepy Berkshire village of Bray was filled with extras to film scenes at the Hinds Head pub.
In August 2021 filming moved to Oxford, around Radcliff square, the Bodleian Library and in Catte Street. Of course, many of these locations are currently used for the hit ITV crime series Endeavour. In early September 2021 there was filming in the old town Hemel Hempstead, which has previously been used in the Netflix comedy After Life with Ricky Gervais.
A brief guide to Masters Of The Air prequel Band Of Brothers...
The 2001 war drama Band Of Brothers dramatized the history of the US Army’s "Easy" Company (part of the 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment). Over ten episodes it detailed their exploits during the war, starting with jump training, through to the Normandy landings and the end of World War Two.
At the time it was the most expensive TV series ever to have been made, and went on to win an Emmy and two Golden Globes for best series.
The show was created by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg. The all-star ensemble cast included Damian Lewis as Major Dick Winters, David Schwimmer as Captain Herbert Sobel and Ron Livingston as Captain Lewis Nixon. Dexter Fletcher, Colin Hanks and Marc Warren also starred.
