Band of Brothers and The Pacific, two of the most acclaimed mini-series in TV history, will finally have a third member in its series. But this third part of the trilogy won’t be heading to HBO like those who came before. No, it’s Apple who snagged this sure-to-be Emmy contender.
THR says that Apple has greenlit a nine-episode series based on Donald L. Miller’s World War II nonfiction book Masters of the Air. A follow-up to Brothers and Pacific, the series will once again be produced by Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg and Gary Goetzman. It’ll follow the daring and brave men of the Eighth Air Force who hammered Hitler’s front lines during the most dangerous days of WWII. If this series is anything like the two that came before it (it will be) then you can expect a lot of realistic, thrilling combat and an expansive cast of characters.
You can also expect a lot of awards. Brothers and Pacific won 14 Emmys between them and nabbed 43 nominations. They were top-of-the-line prestige projects, bigger and honestly better than anything else on TV. Masters of the Air promises to be that same level of excellence and Apple now has a guaranteed hit on their hands.
HBO was in the running to produce and release Masters of the Air a few years ago but passed on the project because the budget was just too sky-high (reportedly it’s at least $250 million). The money isn’t an issue for Apple, who are dying to be the go-to source for quality, high-brow, high-talent TV. They also don’t have a lack of funds because, well, they’re Apple. So they are happy to throw millions at this project and do what HBO wouldn’t.
This will also launch Apple’s in-house studio, appropriately titled Masters. This means that Masters of the Air will be the first production that Apple both produces AND owns. This is a big deal for the company and something that saves them a lot of money and raises their name in the game.
I’m happy for Apple and all that they’re doing, sure, but the real treat here is that we are getting a third entry in this masterful series. The work Hanks, Spielberg and everyone did with Band of Brothers and The Pacific was nothing short of astonishing. They set the bar for television spectacle and now with Apple’s backing you can only imagine what level they’ll take it to with Masters of the Air.
