Apple is launching its own studio for the TV+ subscription streaming service, and it is reportedly working with legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg for its first TV series.
'Masters of Air' And 'Band Of Brothers'
MacRumors has reported that the Silicon Valley-based company has formed its own in-house studio, and one of its first projects is to produce Masters of Air, a follow-up to Band of Brothers and The Pacific series.
The show will be executive produced by Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Gary Goetzman.
The new drama is based on the nonfiction book Masters of the Air: America's Bomber Boys Who Fought the Air War Against Nazi Germany by Donald L. Miller. The story follows the true story of American bomber boys in World War II.
The Band of Brothers miniseries was aired on HBO in 2001 and went on to win Emmys and a Golden Globe. The upcoming Masters of Air will be written by John Orloff, who also worked on Band of Brothers.
The new show will stream exclusively on Apple TV Plus and is Apple's second project with Spielberg's Amblin Television after Amazing Stories.
Apple TV+
Apple's new streaming platform is set to launch on Nov. 1. Its lineup of shows includes Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon's The Morning Show and Dickinson, which stars Hailee Steinfeld as the titular poet.
With its own studio, Apple can own some of the contents on the TV+ streaming service outright.
By streaming its own content, Apple can do away with negotiating licensing fees with other studios. This will also give Apple rights to produce merchandise.
Apple's new studio is reportedly called Masters, and it will be run by Apple's Worldwide Video heads Zack Van Amburg and Jamie Erlicht, who previously led Sony Pictures TV.