‘Masters Of The Air’: Austin Butler-Led WWII Drama From Steven Spielberg & Tom Hanks Gets Premiere Date; See First Photos

Apple TV+ has set Friday, January 26, for the premiere of its World War II drama Masters of the Air. Austin Butler leads the cast of the nine-episode limited series, which hails from Band of Brothers and The Pacific producers Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman. The streamer also released some of the first photos from the series (see above and below).

Masters of the Air will premiere with two episodes on January 26, followed by one new episode every Friday through March 15. The series arrives as its predecessors, the Emmy-winning Band Of Brothers and The Pacific, are finding new global audiences on Netflix.

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Based on Donald L. Miller’s book and scripted by John Orloff, the limited series follows the true story of an American bomber group in World War II.

“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 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+ 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.”

Per the official logline: Masters of the Air follows the men of the 100th Bomb Group, known as the “Bloody Hundredth,” as they conduct perilous bombing raids over Nazi Germany and grapple with the frigid conditions, lack of oxygen and sheer terror of combat conducted at 25,000 feet in the air. It portrays the psychological and emotional price paid by these young men as they helped destroy the horror of Hitler’s Third Reich. Some were shot down and captured; some were wounded or killed. And some were lucky enough to make it home. Regardless of individual fate, a toll was exacted on them all.

The cast also includes Callum Turner, Anthony Boyle, Nate Mann, Rafferty Law, Barry Keoghan, Josiah Cross, Branden Cook, Ncuti Gatwa, Josh Bolt and Kai Alexander.

The series from Apple Studios is executive produced by Spielberg through Amblin Television, and Hanks and Goetzman for Playtone. Amblin Television’s Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey co-executive produce alongside Playtone’s Steven Shareshian. In addition to writing, Orloff co-executive produces. Graham Yost also serves as co-executive producer. Cary Joji Fukunaga directs four of the nine episodes.

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