Apple is launching its own in-house studio and teaming up with Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks to create the first series that it will own full rights to.
The new limited series, titled Masters of the Air, will be a follow-up to HBO’s successful series Band of Brothers and The Pacific.
Because Apple didn’t have its own studio when producing the more than 20 TV shows it currently has in development, it doesn’t actually own any of them. The new unnamed studio will change that, eliminating expensive licensing fees to other studios, allowing Apple to better monetize its content.
Masters of the Air
Apple reportedly ordered nine-episodes of the Masters of the Air series that focuses on historian Donald L. Miller’s nonfiction book Masters of the Air: America’s Bomber Boys Who Fought the Air War Against Nazi Germany. The series follows the men of the Eighth Air Force that brought Americas bombs all the way to Berlin to help end World War II.
The series was in development at HBO back in 2013 but the company dropped it. One of the reasons might have been the $250 million price tag it was estimated to cost. With a couple of its shows already costing more per episode than Game of Thrones, Apple has already shown it’s not afraid to reach it’s deep pockets to take risks on shows.
Masters brings back Tom Hanks, Gary Goetzman and Steven Spielberg who produced Band of Brothers and The Pacific together. Those two limited-series scored a combined 33 Emmy nominations. Apple is already working with Spielberg for its Amazing Stories TV show.
