Masters Of The Air Set Up What Steven Spielberg & Tom Hanks' Next Band Of Brothers Show Should Be

Summary Masters of the Air broke new ground with realistic midair combat, blending practical and CGI effects to depict aerial war during WWII.

The show introduces the Tuskegee Airmen, providing a contrast of historical significance and aerial victories against the backdrop of the 100th Bomb Group.

While no plans have been revealed for another Band of Brothers-style show, the development process for such series takes time and extensive resources.

Apple TV+'s critical and streaming hit Masters of the Air is the latest companion series from the creators of Band of Brothers, Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg, and it provides the perfect set-up for their next potential project. The latest show follows the true story of the 100th Bomb Group as they wage aerial war in the skies over Europe. The group was known as the "Bloody Hundredth" due to their unusually high casualty rate, and Masters of the Air chronicles the harrowing stories of both the men who were shot down and the men who made it back alive.

Masters of the Air broke new ground in prestige drama television by showcasing realistic midair combat. The show received critical acclaim for its incredible practical and CGI effects in depicting aerial war during the fledgling stages of the American Air Force. Masters of the Air makes some changes to the true story of the 100th Bomb Group, but was largely accurate in its depiction of the major events surrounding not only those men but other WWII pilots as well. In doing so, the show set up the next potential companion series from Hanks and Spielberg.

2:04 Related All 3 Band Of Brothers Shows, Ranked Worst To Best Since Band of Brothers premiered to incredible acclaim in 2001, two companion series have been released, and now the three shows can be ranked.

Spielberg & Hanks Should Make A Tuskegee Airmen Show After Masters Of The Air

The brief scenes featuring the Tuskegee Airmen were among the show's best.

While Masters of the Air revolved around the men of the 100th Bomb Group, its later episodes featured the true story of the famous Tuskegee Airmen, an all-black group of elite fighter pilots. The Tuskegee Airmen, known as the "Red Tails" for the distinctive red-painted tails on their P-47 aircraft, are the ideal unit to feature in a follow-up to Masters of the Air for several reasons. First and foremost, their historical significance as the first black pilots in the U.S. Army Air Forces provides an interesting and exciting angle that deserves further exploration.

The Tuskegee Airmen were so named due to their education and training happening at the Tuskegee Institute in Tuskegee, Alabama.

Perhaps more importantly, they can provide a contrast to the action of Masters of the Air. The story of the 100th Bomb Group is one of unfathomable bravery, but it's marked by the loss and devastation the airmen face. The Tuskegee Airmen, on the other hand, were responsible for some of the most significant aerial victories and historically excellent combat records. They completed over 500 missions, while most members of the 100th Bomb Group struggled to reach 25 missions flown due to the highly dangerous nature of their flight paths.

How A Tuskegee Airmen Show Could Expand On Masters Of The Air

Masters of the Air provided only a brief glimpse into the air battles of WWII.

A show based around the Tuskegee Airmen could showcase an entirely different side of aerial combat in WWII. The pilots showcased in Masters of the Air suffered some of the worst casualty rates of the war due to the territory they flew over and the generally unsafe conditions of the lumbering bombers. Only a few major missions are shown, because so many of the primary characters were shot down, and following those characters made it impossible to continue to show the air battles.

Related Why Masters Of The Air's Tuskegee Airmen Are Important Despite Limited Role Explained By EP Masters of the Air executive producer Gary Goetzman explains why the Tuskegee Airmen are so important despite their limited role in the miniseries.

A show centered on the Tuskegee Airmen could go deeper into aerial combat given how many more missions its main characters flew. The Tuskegee Airmen were most famously responsible for flying the P-51 Mustang, one of the most dominant aircraft in all of WWII, and had incredible success on most of their missions thanks to their superior flying skills and advanced planes. Many of their missions were flown over Italy and other parts of Europe that didn't align with the missions of the 100th Bomb Group, so a Tuskegee Airmen show could feature an entirely different side of the war.

Will Another Band Of Brothers Show Happen After Masters Of The Air?

No plans have been revealed so far, but that doesn't mean much at this point.

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While Masters of the Air was an unquestioned success based on its critical acclaim and outstanding streaming numbers for Apple TV+, there has been no word yet on whether there will be another Band of Brothers-style show coming from Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg. That doesn't necessarily mean much, considering that Masters of the Air just became available in full. Only three WWII dramas from Spielberg and Hanks have been released over the last 23 years, so it's unlikely that there would be any commitment to another companion series this early.

All Spielberg/Hanks WWII Miniseries Show Release Year Band of Brothers 2001 The Pacific 2010 Masters of the Air 2024

The three series from Hanks and Spielberg have had at least nine years in between their release dates. Considering the scope of each show, the development understandably takes far longer than a normal drama miniseries. The creators need to create a dramatic narrative from the historical record, scout and cast a massive number of people both in front of and behind the camera, and create massive sets and effects. The budget for Masters of the Air was reportedly $250 million, indicating that even if a follow-up series comes to pass, it will likely be several years before there are any major developments.