New Spielberg miniseries on 8th Air Force to cost HALF A BIL

[a29pilot]

Yea, how's that for a headline?

" The HBO series will highlight the Mighty 8th Air Force and its crucial role in World War Two. It’s reportedly going to be the most expensive production in the history of television costing 500 million dollars."

Full article:

http://www.thecoastalsource.com/2013/04 ... air-force/

Anyone know more about this? Really? 500 million for this? Will it make its money back or are they gambling on the success of band of brothers?

[Iclo]

CGI are expensive...
Ok, just kidding

[JohnB]

Speilberg's paycheck will account for a fair chunk of that.
I'd imagine he gets a few million for putting his name on a project...whether or not he does anything.

I recently heard he gets 10% of the gross at Universal theme parks because some rides have something to do with his films.

[Richard W.]

8th Air Force? Did they have anything to do with the Tuskeegee Airmen winning WWII?

[Punisher05]

8th Air Force? Did they have anything to do with the Tuskeegee Airmen winning WWII?

Now that there is funny, I don't care who you are.

-Brandon

[Richard W.]

Thank you. I'll be here all week!

[m50a1ontos]

Even if much of the aerial footage is CGI, I would hope it's done well and accuratly. While using real warbirds would be really cool, (and I hope they do), CGI just makes sense. Maybe a combination of real and CGI?

How ever it gets done, the story needs to be told. Band of Brothers set the bar. Lets hope it at least equals it (Didn't care for the Pacific....didn't have thew same impact BoB did).

No matter how it gets done though, somebody will always feel the need to nit pick and complain

[a29pilot]

Has anyone read the book that this miniseries will be based on? I have it right now...it's a huge paperback...and I had to skip some parts because it was a little boring, but there were some sections that were phenomenal.

[tom d. friedman]

the man has historical foresight. he has proved that many times. he gets 10 thumbs up from me!!

[Punisher05]

I really hope its done well and is successful. One of my biggest rants among close friends following "Red Tails" was that there were an incredible number of other units who did incredible things, but had never received the same level of media attention.

I'm genuinely hoping this project will change that to some extent.

-Brandon

[HPDCapt]

Maybe the 15th Air Force helped a bit?

[Dan Johnson II]

I really hope its done well and is successful. One of my biggest rants among close friends following "Red Tails" was that there were an incredible number of other units who did incredible things, but had never received the same level of media attention.

I'm genuinely hoping this project will change that to some extent.

-Brandon

Were you just as mad after Band of Brothers made it seem like they'd won the war in Europe by themselves?

Can you imagine how the guys in other units of the 101st felt, considering many of them endured far more then Easy Company 506th.

Considering it was the 8th Air Force that got all the press during the actual conflict, I don't think they've suffered too much. If anything the other Air Forces have been under represented due to the 8th and thier prime location for the press.

[JohnB]

Has anyone read the book that this miniseries will be based on? I have it right now...it's a huge paperback...and I had to skip some parts because it was a little boring, but there were some sections that were phenomenal.

Yes. I enjoyed it and learned a lot. The book is Masters of the Air.
It's an laymen friendly look at the 8th..but unlike many books aimed at a general audience, it has the well researched and authoritative feel of a real piece of scholarship.

The book is solidly pro-8th AF, our UK friends won't like it because if its tone about the RAF Bomber Command area raids (but it does admit the 8th...under UK pressure...contributed to a few).
Also, it shatters the myth of Swiss neutrality. Interned airmen were trated badly there by a pro-German government and populace.


Don't expect technical details, the author isn't Roger Freeman.
The other non-tech book I'd recommend on the subject is Martin Bowman's The Wild Blue Yonder...brief stories where vets tell what the war was like for them...ion the ground and in the air.
I'd hope the series writers use some of that first person material.

If you're past just reading just about the airplanes..I'd recommend both of these.

[rwdfresno]

I really hope its done well and is successful. One of my biggest rants among close friends following "Red Tails" was that there were an incredible number of other units who did incredible things, but had never received the same level of media attention.

I'm genuinely hoping this project will change that to some extent.

-Brandon

I've never understood this gripe. The fact is that they can't make a movie about every unit. Sure they were all heros as far as I am concerned and there were hundreds of storeis out there that would be wonderful to tell but most of these guys like Captain Winters and Jimmy Doolittle were humble guys that would tell you that they were no hero. The fact is that it is an expensive undertaking making these films and the goal is to make the biggest profit possible and if they can through a little accuracy and a good story in there too it might happen. I'm happy that there are people willing to gather a half a billion to make a reasonably interesting movie as opposed to the rest of the garbage out here which is almost unwatchable.

Ryan

[dors]

8th Air Force? Did they have anything to do with the Tuskeegee Airmen winning WWII?

I'm pretty sure Ben Affleck won WW2.