HBO's The Mighty Eighth TV series

[Bilge_Rat]

I doubt the worry is about the subject matter considering HBO is doing a series about the pope...



most likely it is a dollar issue, pure and simple, "Band of Brothers" was a huge hit, the "Pacific" some what less so. Is there an appetite for a third WW2 spielberg/Hanks mini-series?

The economics is also changing, HBO had the market cornered on high concept/big budget series, but now Netflix is really coming on strong and cutting into their market.

http://variety.com/2016/digital/news...ey-1201750224/

[razark]

Originally Posted by MGR1

I asked the same question over on Britmodeller a few months ago, apparently it's either been canned or it's on indefinate hold.

That's unfortunate.

All the sources I've seen on the show seem to date back to mid-2015. One would think they might make some sort of announcement about the status of the show, though.

[fireftr18]

Originally Posted by Dowly

Now, where have I seen that before.

Don't you just hate it when you know you've seen something before, but can't remember where?!

kind of like deja-vu.

I've been casually following the news on it. It's supposed to be on the same lines as Band of Brothers and The Pacific. From what I could tell, it's definitely going to air, just don't know exactly when.

[Rockstar]

Originally Posted by fireftr18

... From what I could tell, it's definitely going to air, just don't know exactly when.

soon

[Eichhörnchen]

How do you know that, then?

[Dowly]

Originally Posted by Eichhörnchen

How do you know that, then?

One part hope mixed to two parts of speculation.

For extra punch, add tears.

Best served cold.

[Eichhörnchen]

Just can't seem to find out any more about it... it's not even mentioned on HBO's website as a work in progress:

http://www.hbo.com/

[GoldenRivet]

My own research into the subject has revealed speculation mostly... but with a sprinkling of encouraging fact

1. for some sort of legal reasoning the name was changed presumably from Masters of The Air to The Mighty Eighth at some point during pre-production

2. spielberg and hanks have gone into media blackout mode on the subject

3. according to IMDB pro the series status is "in production"

4. at some point in 2014 through 2015 several filming locations were selected in Georgia, USA and throughout the UK and Europe.

the most recent mention i can find which seems to have any basis in fact is an article from earlier this year... the reason i say it is based on fact? well...

On the news page from the Lafayette College in Easton Pennsylvania, where Donald Miller, who wrote Masters of the Air, is a professor. An article is printed on the University web site discussing an upcoming appearance by hanks to the university for an informal interview in their gymnasium which was to include Miller

so, as of the time that hanks was set to visit the College where Donald Miller is a vice president and Professor just 9 months ago the media page discussing Hanks' visit states:

HBO is currently developing a dramatic miniseries produced by Hanks and Steven Spielberg and based on Miller’s bestselling book, Masters of the Air: America’s Bomber Boys Who Fought the Air War against Nazi Germany (2007). The series will tell the engrossing personal stories and exploits of the men who flew with America’s famed Eighth Air Force over Nazi-­occupied Europe.

Miller is widely acclaimed for his books on World War II. He previously worked with Hanks and Spielberg as a historical consultant for the ten-part HBO series The Pacific (2010), which won eight Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Miniseries. He was also the on-camera historian, writer, and chief consultant for the series’ accompanying documentary.

The link to the university media page can be found here

additional research finds that the Hanks visit did in fact take place, he visited the campus, conducted the interview among the faculty, staff, and alumni with Mr Miller obviously in attendance where it can certainly be assumed beyond doubt that the mini-series was a topic of discussion

according to media released pertaining to Hanks' visit to the university, the visit did in fact take place and the story states;

Hanks and Miller have collaborated on several World War II-related projects, including an upcoming HBO miniseries based on Miller's bestselling book "Masters of the Air."

this information comes from lehighvalleylive.com, a news media outlet local to Easton, PA and a link to the article can be found here

finally, the Lafayette colleges Flickr account (here) posts an image of Hanks mid interview with the caption

Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks visited campus Monday for an informal interview with President Alison Byerly and Donald Miller, John Henry MacCraken Professor of History. The next day he met with Miller’s history students and discussed his preparation for roles in movies such as Saving Private Ryan and his involvement in the upcoming HBO miniseries Masters of the Air based on Miller’s book. He later sat down for lunch with Byerly, Miller, and small group of students.

it is my supposition that if Hanks had visited the university and had given the impression during his campus interview at Lafayette College that the series was in limbo or had been cancelled or stalled in any way, there would have been little to discuss regarding the miniseries and there would be information to the effect of it's cancellation somewhere in internetland, and at this time, production is still a go

[Eichhörnchen]

OK thanks for that, GR... I guess we just sit and wait

[GoldenRivet]

Originally Posted by Eichhörnchen

OK thanks for that, GR... I guess we just sit and wait

yes i would say just sit back a bit longer

by the time you get the money in a pile, get your crew together, audition and cast the film, iron out the script/writing, scout the set locations (especially internationally), work out the CGI, real aircraft use (if any), edit the film and cut a final product you could be looking at 18-24 months to make something like this happen.

i have it on good authority that filming & editing alone on the band of brothers mini-series was about a 10 month affair, and that doesn't account for the time they spent standing around getting their collective crap in a pile in pre-production

I do know that according to Miller's own brief statements that can be found online filming had not yet started as of Summer of 2015.

if i were a betting man, I would put money on seeing our first adverts/ teasers and trailers some time this coming spring 2017

just for the sake of education and clarity however i will note that there are those out there in internetland who have passed off the video below as the trailer or teaser for the Spielberg mini series... and it most assuredly is NOT and has absolutely nothing to do with the mini series spearheaded by Hanks and Speilberg



but its kinda cool to watch

[HunterICX]

^

Yuck...from whatever that is, that's just CGI barf right there.

26 ago with perhaps some dated effects but still looks way better and ofcourse real B-17's (ofcourse heavily modified to look like the F variant which Memphis belle was as iirc the ones they used where the G variant?)



(historical accuracy can be thrown out the windows ofcourse but still an enjoyable flick)

[GoldenRivet]

Memphis Belle, despite its inaccuracies, is one of my favorite movies of all time, i remember i was 11 years old when it came out. I was in 5th grade, we had a writing competition in our school district and i drew on the film to come up with my story.

I wrote a story about a B-24 Liberator called "Lucky Lady II" in which the crew departs their base in england following the D-Day invasion on a bombing mission against targets in germany, they are shot down behind enemy lines and the pilot manages to crash land in a big hay meadow near the western front. A small plane scouting for artillery witnesses the B-24 go down and radios in their location, meanwhile the men in the B-24 become surrounded by German Soldiers and they use the turrets and machine gun positions of the bomber to hold them off until a C-47 swoops in and picks them up under the strafing cover of P51s

the story was reviewed as a finalist in the district wide contest and received perfect marks. I along with about 15-20 other kids were rewarded with an awards ceremony and Pizza Party in town (which i missed out on due to breaking my arm the night before the event)

i am hopeful that any miniseries produced by Hanks-Spielberg would at least showcase some real aircraft doing the flying.

[HunterICX]

Originally Posted by GoldenRivet

Memphis Belle, despite its inaccuracies, is one of my favorite movies of all time, i remember i was 11 years old when it came out.

Well I was too young when it actually came out (3 years) but later when I had the tape along with the tapes of The Longest Day, Bridge too Far and Battle of Britain I just played them all grey

i am hopeful that any miniseries produced by Hanks-Spielberg would at least showcase some real aircraft doing the flying.

I do hope so though, inevitable there'll be CGI used to fill up the skies and that's ok but I do hope where the camera is focused on is the real thing.

[em2nought]

If this ever gets produced, I'm pretty sure I won't be able to watch with crying. Just like the opening scene of Saving Private Ryan.

So many good men gone to be replaced by I don't know who, but I don't have a very good feeling about it at all.

[razark]

Originally Posted by HunterICX

(historical accuracy can be thrown out the windows ofcourse but still an enjoyable flick)

Originally Posted by GoldenRivet

Memphis Belle, despite its inaccuracies, is one of my favorite movies of all time...

I'd probably have a better opinion if they had just made up a fictional name for the film, instead of attaching a fictional story to a real name.

Thanks for all the info above. You've kept my hope of seeing this series alive.