The team behind the critically-acclaimed miniseries Band of Brothers has moved on to their next project, Masters of the Air, opening up speculation as to what time periods or combat units the producers could focus on next. Since representing the 101st Airborne Divion’s Easy Company in Band of Brothers, Tom Hanks and Stephen Spielberg have continued their streak of World War II focused productions. The Pacific shifted the action to the grueling Pacific theater, following a handful of individual Marines across various ranks, while Masters of the Air‘s cast promises to tell the astonishing true stories of bomber pilots in the European theater.
It’s likely that the famous movie duo will want to continue their streak of telling gripping World War II stories with heartfelt drama that gets across the expertly-navigated weight of the conflict on those who participated in it. While there are plenty of other famous, fascinating units with plenty of memoirs the duo could draw from, branching out to explore other time periods beyond World War II would be a welcome change of pace. As the release date for Masters of the Air looms ever closer, it’s hard not to speculate as to which front Spielberg and Hanks will travel to next.
10 Crossing The Line On U.S. Navy Ships In The Pacific
World War II
With Masters of the Air, Spielberg and Hanks will have covered a view of World War II from the United States, Army, Marines, and Air Force, with each branch getting a mini-series all to their own. It would only be fitting then that the Navy got its chance to shine, as the pair could follow U.S. sailors in the Pacific contending with Japanese aircraft, German submarines, and the mere daily dangers of life confined on a ship. While plenty of memoirs could serve as inspiration, Alvin Kernan’s Crossing the Line: A Bluejacket’s World War II Odyssey would be a great place to start.
9 Boots On The Ground With The Rainbow Division
World War I
If Spielberg and Hanks decide to branch out to other conflicts besides World War II, the preceding Great War would be an obvious starting point. When it comes to choosing which unit in particular to focus on, one of the earliest divisions to be sent to France, Woodrow Wilson’s “Rainbow Division”, would be a great choice. Made up of National Guardsmen, the 42nd Infantry Division’s creation and harrowing experiences in the brutality of Europe’s trenches in World War I could serve as a brilliant viewpoint to observe one of the deadliest conflicts in world history.
8 Wading Through Vietnam With The 23rd Infantry Division
The Vietnam War
Should Spielberg and Hanks decide to move closer to the modern day for their next war epic, the Vietnam War offers intense storytelling opportunities ripe for the taking. Tim O’Brien’s memoir of life in the 23rd Infantry Division, also known as The Americal Division, If I Die in a Combat Zone: Box Me Up and Ship Me Home, would serve as an excellent basis for adaptation, touring viewers through some of the worst the war had to offer. That being said, the famous Hollywood producers would have to tread carefully, considering Vietnam’s darker legacy on American military service compared to World War 2’s moral clarity.
7 Befuddling German Intelligence With The Navajo Code Talkers
World War II
Blazing guns and roaring cannons aren’t the only aspects of World War II that are deserving of a thoughtful miniseries. Indeed, the subterfuge and information wars behind the actual fighting were just as important, as exemplified by World War II’s Navajo Code Talkers. In World War II, America was able to utilize its rich resource of Native American service members as a crucial advantage, their unique languages serving as a communications code German intelligence was incapable of cracking. Spielberg and Hanks would have a better shot at doing the story justice than Nic Cage’s Windtalkers in 2002.
6 With Custer At Little Bighorn
Great Sioux War of 1876
Little Bighorn may be a far cry from Spielberg and Hanks’ usual modus operandi thus far established since Band of Brothers — The distant setting of 1876 is a far cry from World War II’s industrial environment, and the dark defeat of the United States military at Little Bighorn couldn’t be more different than the American heroism depicted by Spielberg and Hanks. However, if a risk was willing to be taken, a mini-series about the infamous war could be some of the most gripping television ever produced if done proper justice. William O’ Taylor’s account of the action, detailed in With Custer on the Little Bighorn, could serve as inspiration.
5 Flying Daring Raids With The Night Witches
World War II
The famed Night Witches would be another somewhat radical departure for Spielberg and Hanks, being a Russian unit rather than an American one, but their story is too compelling not to consider. The 558th Night Bomber Regiment of Russia was an all-female force of pilots who undertook daring air raids against Germany under the cover of night with out-dated planes and limited resources. The famous cadre of women bombers earned their nickname through the eerie sound their planes made as they gilded over Germany while turning their engines off, being nearly undetectable against the night sky.
4 Bravo Zero Two’s Harrowing Story
The Gulf War
Moving into the modern day, there’s no shortage of unbelivable true war stories Spielberg and Hanks could have a field day with. One of the most famous and harrowing memoirs of modern service, Bravo Zero Two, details a top secret infiltration mission run by the elite British special forces, the S.A.S., gone horribly wrong. While once again being out of the realm of American military honor, the gut-wrenching story of the ill-fated Bravo Zero Two patrol, complete with firefights, torture, and a harrowing trek across the Syrian desert, would be a harrowing tale to remember if properly adapted.
3 The 92nd Infantry Division’s Ground-Breaking Work
World War II
Shifting focus back to the American military in World War II, a crucial story that would be remiss of Spielberg and Hanks to overlook for adaptation is the tale of the 92nd Infantry Division. The only African-American division to participate in combat in Europe, a heart-wrenching tale could be crafted about the real horrors faced by the soldiers of the 92nd, both from the grueling fighting in Italy and gross mistreatment by the Army itself. Considering the casts of Band of Brothers, The Pacific, and Masters of the Air aren’t too diverse, the 92nd Infantry Division would be a welcome change of pace.
2 Treading Across Europe With The 4th Armored Division
World War II
While Masters of the Air will give the fearless pilots of World War II a well-deserved spot in the limelight, the often-overlooked Tank crews of the U.S. Army would be an excellent follow-up. Specifically, the 4th Armored Division, which spearheaded General Patton’s efforts in Europe, would be an excellent bet for a compelling true story. Featuring eclectic characters like Major General “Tiger Jack” John Shirley Wood and important offensives like the Battle of the Bulge, the European theater as seen through the claustrophobic lens of an M-4 Sherman tank would be an unforgettable mini-series.
1 Flying Over The Pacific With Marine Torpedo Bombing Squadron 232
World War II
Masters of the Air promises to regale with the tale of bomber pilots over Europe– A follow-up miniseries could detail aviation over the Pacific Theater as The Pacific did for Band of Brothers‘ boots-on-the-ground narrative. A great source to adapt would be Sam Hynes recollection, Flights of Passage, describing life as an air gunner with the Marine Torpedo Bombing Squadron 232, surviving sinking ships and skies thick with flak. There’s no doubt that a Hanks and Spielberg-led series detailing life as an aviator in the Pacific Theater would be a worthy companion piece to Masters of the Air.
