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New HBO mini series on WWII about to be made. (Masters of the Air)


history-buff1944
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WWII Parachutist

Just remember guys, Orloff is saying film in 2020 NOT release in 2020. Band of brothers took over a year and half. The Pacific started filming in August 2007, but didn't air until March 2010. That's two and half years! Even if they started today, late 2021 would be the earliest we would see it in all probability.

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tdogchristy90

Just remember guys, Orloff is saying film in 2020 NOT release in 2020. Band of brothers took over a year and half. The Pacific started filming in August 2007, but didn't air until March 2010. That's two and half years! Even if they started today, late 2021 would be the earliest we would see it in all probability.

Good point.

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There's one thing which could speed up production: pressure from Apple, since this is supposed to be their first official film production, and they are already 'on air' with Apple+. Apple isn't HBO. They have no Games of Thrones to worry about. Just maybe Hanks and Spielberg were starting to get frustrated with HBO. Of course this shouldn't mean that they rush it and quality is affected, but Apple won't wait another 2 years for their first product to air since this would greatly affect their reputation and market value. Rest assured names like Apple are seeing the success of Netflix and are wanting to share in that financially asap.

 

It is likely that they will either pilot an episode this year or air one finished episode at a time in between filming.

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  • 2 months later...

There's a US site called Morning Call that apparently published an article on March 17th concerning the production of Masters of the Air, it says production is set to begin. I tried finding more news as I am interested in how the pandemic outbreak is affecting the production of this series, but was geoblocked clicking on the link! Can't believe US sites are still using blockers.

 

Could anyone in the US please look it up and share the news?

 

Thanks!!

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Considering that production has shut down on everything from major series to local news shows, it would be doubtful if this is moving forward.

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FOR THE MORNING CALL |
MAR 17, 2020 | 8:29 AM

Lafayette professor and Easton resident Donald L. Miller remembers exactly where he was six years ago when he got the call from Tom Hanks telling him that Hanks and producing partner Steven Spielberg were planning on turning Miller’s World War II book “Masters of the Air: America’s Bomber Boys Who Fought The Air War Against Nazi Germany” into a $200 million mini-series.

“I was pulling out of the Bethlehem Library when my phone rang,” recalls Miller. “I was pretty happy about the news."

But the best-selling author didn’t have too much time to revel in his good fortune. “I had three of my grandchildren with me and I said, ‘You guys have to be quiet I have someone important on the phone.’ And my granddaughter said, ‘I’m important too!’ And she is.”

Now, after a few years and a number of speedbumps, including a move from HBO to AppleTV, “Masters of the Air” is finally beginning production outside London.

“We’re in the casting process right now,” says Miller. “The scripts are done and we’re hiring actors, directors and producers.”

The project, which will be produced by Spielberg’s Amblin Television, and Hanks and Gary Goetzman’s Playtone, is set to focus on the 100th Bombardment Group of the Eighth Air Force. The series, like the book, will chronicle the stories of the airmen who helped to make D-Day possible, among other achievements.

Expected to run eight or 10 hours, the series will also depict life in wartime England, where the 100th Group was stationed, as well as in German prison camps, where thousands of fliers were incarcerated during the war.

Miller says the goal of the creative team behind “Masters of the Air” is to turn out an accurate yet personal mini-series that promises to do for the Air Force what Spielberg and Hanks’ acclaimed “Band of Brothers” and “The Pacific” did for the Army and the Marines, respectively.

“Tom said he wanted a film – and he calls it a film – that has fidelity and is completely without clichés,” notes Miller of the actor, who has recently been in the hospital in Australia, where he was diagnosed with coronavirus. “We want to change people’s conceptions and misconceptions of the air war.”

One of those misconceptions is that bombing is impersonal. “It is, in fact, intensely personal,” says Miller whose father fought in the Eighth Air Force. “You’ve got 10 guys in a [airplane]. Even more so than on the ground, there was a solidarity among those guys.

“Very few GIs or Marines saw the enemy killed but up high, the airman often were looking right into the eyes of the enemy pilots.”

A native of Reading, Miller joined the Lafayette College faculty in 1978. He is currently promoting a new book called “Vicksburg” about a key Civil War battle.

He’s also written a handful of books about World War II and served as a writer and historical consultant for “WWII in HD,” which aired on the History Channel in 2009, two “American Experience” docs “Victory In The Pacific” (2005) and “The Bombing of Germany” (2010) and “The Pacific” (2010).

“(Ernest) Hemingway was right,” says Miller. “He said, ‘There’s nothing in human history that has more drama than war.’”

Amy Longsdorf is a Morning Call contributor.

 

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  • 6 months later...
  • 4 months later...

Looks like the first two cast names were released: Austin Butler and Callum Turner. Both will be majors (Butler will be Gale Cleven and Turner will be John Egan)

 

 

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  • 1 month later...
tdogchristy90

You can add Nate Mann to the cast as well as some activity and planes spotted at Dalton Barracks in England. 

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

These are for anyone still thinking it isn't happening.... 

 

A new city just emerged in the UK.

 

All pics courtesy The Daily Mail

 

 

beforeset.jpg

afterset.jpg

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tdogchristy90
40 minutes ago, ken88 said:

These are for anyone still thinking it isn't happening.... 

 

A new city just emerged in the UK.

 

All pics courtesy The Daily Mail

 

 

beforeset.jpg

afterset.jpg


They’ve been shooting for a little over two weeks. 

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GITom1944

Wow. Thanks for posting those pics. The prop B-17 looks amazing. It looks like somebody is paying close attention to a/c types and markings. Looks like an "F" model with the early style national insignia. It has been a long wait. I'm eager to see the series.

 

Tom

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  • 4 months later...

Definitely cool!  That plane/prop is marked (square D) as the 418th Sqdrn, 100th Bomb Group, (The ruddy Hundreth), same outfit my father was in! They were based at Thorpe Abbotts.  The 100th BG has an amazing website---  https://www.100thbg.com/

 

                                                                                                                              Steve

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This is bizarre!  I type the word blood(y) and it changes to ruddy!???  Already posted to Forum Help.  Weird. One final try-ruddy   Nope, didn't work again.

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At first I thought I was losing it! Thought I had just mis-typed it, twice!  Frustrating to say the least! Something new everyday!  How about he, she, it, is that going to be filtered next? Who knew?  Glad I'm not the only one.

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  • 2 months later...
TheCrustyBosun

eBay user “captdarling” has several OD USAAF Officer “crushers” listed for sale. Seller states these hats were produced for “the filming of an upcoming major new mini-series about the 8th Air Force”.  https://www.ebay.com/itm/Repro-WW2-USAAF-Air-Force-Officers-Crusher-Cap-Hat-100-Wool-OD51-Olive-Drab-/324932889640?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m2548.l6249&mkrid=710-127635-2958-0358093D9-FDE6-4535-847F-0C708C39F4BA.png.08803b5a97b93aed078cee224e5b6aa1.png

 

I assume these were intended for Masters of the Air?

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