“When you look at it, you don’t pay any attention to what’s really going on,” a pensive Cleven says as he watches bombs explode in the distance against a dark night sky. “It’s kind of beautiful.”
The series is based on the book by Donald L. Miller and written by John Orloff. The cinematographically impressive series was shot in locations ranging from the idyllic fields and villages of South East England to the harsh hardships of a German POW camp.
Masters of the Air follows the men of the 100th Bomb Group, known as the 'Bloody Hundredth', as they conduct dangerous bombing raids over Nazi Germany and struggle with the icy conditions, lack of oxygen and sheer terror of fighting at 80,000 feet in the sky. It portrays the psychological and emotional price these young men paid as they helped destroy the horror of Hitler's Third Reich. Some were shot and captured, some were wounded or killed. And some were lucky enough to make it home. Regardless of their individual fates, a toll was taken on all of them.
The cast also includes Callum Turner (The Capture), Anthony Boyle (The Plot Against America), Nate Mann (Ray Donovan), Rafferty Law, Barry Keoghan (Top Boy (2019)), Josiah Cross (Lady in the Lake), Branden Cook (Tell Me Lies), Ncuti Gatwa (Doctor Who), Josh Bolt (Last Tango In Halifax) and Kai Alexander (The Stranger (2020)).
The Apple Studios series is produced by Spielberg through Amblin Television and Hanks and Goetzman for Playtone. Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey of Amblin Television co-executive produce along with Steven Shareshian of Playtone. In addition to writing, Orloff is a co-executive producer. Graham Yost also serves as co-executive producer. Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck, Cary Joji Fukunaga, Dee Rees and Tim Van Patten are the directors.
Masters of the Air will premiere worldwide on Apple TV+ on Friday, January 26, 2024 with the first two episodes, followed by a new episode every Friday through March 15, 2024.
Below you can watch the trailer for Masters of the Air.
