HBO to begin shooting "Band of Brothers" sequel this summer

[jmcclain19]

I know there are quite a few out there like me who think Band of Brothers was one of the best series created for TV.

Looks like Spielberg & Hanks are creating a 10-hour sequel titled "The Pacific" that begins shooting this summer.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/...edce1c1949270f

HBO Films well-armed for 'Pacific'

April 25, 2007

HBO Films has given the green light to "The Pacific," the long-gestating 10-hour miniseries from executive producers Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg that serves as the follow-up to the duo's Emmy-winning 2001 HBO miniseries "Band of Brothers."

Filming on the epic, which HBO Films is producing in association with Playtone and DreamWorks Television, is set to begin this summer in Australia.

A companion piece to the World War II saga "Brothers," "Pacific" tracks the intertwined odysseys of three U.S. Marines -- Robert Leckie, John Basilone and Eugene Sledge -- across the vast canvas of the Pacific, from the first clash with the Japanese in the jungles of Guadalcanal to the triumphant return home after V-J Day.

Production will be based at Melbourne Central City Studios in Melbourne, Victoria, with filming set to take place in Melbourne, where U.S. troops camped in 1943, and Far North Queensland.

"We're proud to be reuniting with Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg to complete the story of the American combat experience of World War II," HBO Films president Colin Callender said. "This epic miniseries is based on the true stories of three Marines whose experiences in the Pacific embodied the unique nature of that theater of war, and dramatize how it profoundly differed from the European front. "

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"Pacific" is based on the books "With the Old Breed" by Sledge and "Helmet for My Pillow" by Leckie, as well as original interviews conducted by the filmmakers and Hugh Ambrose, son of "Brothers" author Stephen E. Ambrose, who died in 2002. Hugh Ambrose serves as a consultant on the miniseries.

Hanks and Spielberg will executive produce "Pacific" with Hanks' partner at Playtone, Gary Goetzman, who served as a co-executive producer on "Brothers." Another "Brothers" co-exec producer, Tony To, is back and will co-exec produce with "Brothers" writer Graham Yost.

[sonny]

Sweet. Band of Brothers was so well done, I can't wait to see this.

No word on the return of Arli$$?

[cumberlandreds]

It will be hard to be better than the original but this series should be very good. Thanks for the info!

[MrCinatit]

Excellent news. Except for From The Earth To The Moon (another Hanks project), Band of Brothers was my favorite miniseries.

[gonelong]

I know there are quite a few out there like me who think Band of Brothers was one of the best series created for TV.

Looks like Spielberg & Hanks are creating a 10-hour sequel titled "The Pacific" that begins shooting this summer.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/...edce1c1949270f

Excellent. I watched the series on HBO and this Christmas my wife gave me the DVD set. We are waiting for a few weeks into the summer to sit down and watch them again.

I am excited to see another series from this group.

GL

[Razor Shines]

I don't even know how many times I've watched "Band of Brothers", but I don't seem to tire of it. This is fantastic news.

[KronoRed]

Excellent.

[jmcclain19]

Just an update to this thread - some more details have come out about the series - several actors & directors have been named as the series begins filming

http://www.zap2it.com/tv/news/zap-hb...p-tv-headlines

'Pacific' Adds Directors, Tweaks Cast
Jon Seda moves up to starring role

HBO has begun rolling the cameras on its 10-part World War II miniseries "The Pacific" after signing up several directors and shuffling its cast.

The miniseries, which chronicles the experience of U.S. Marines in World War II's Pacific Theater, is scheduled to air in 2009. It's a companion piece to 2001's "Band of Brothers," which was set in Europe, and comes from the same producing team of Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg and Gary Goetzman.

Co-executive producers Graham Yost ("Boomtown") and Tony To ("House") will each direct episodes; they, too, worked on "Band of Brothers," with Yost writing two episodes and To directing one and co-exec producing. Other directors include HBO veteran Tim Van Patten ("The Sopranos," "The Wire," "Sex and the City"), Carl Franklin ("Out of Time," "Devil in a Blue Dress") and Jeremy Podeswa ("Six Feet Under," "The Five Senses").

The production has also made a casting change. Jon Seda ("Homicide," "Close to Home"), who was initially cast in a supporting role, will move up to take one of the lead roles, that of Marine John Basilone. He replaces Val Lauren.

The cast also includes James Badge Dale ("24"), Joe Mazzello ("Raising Helen," "Jurassic Park"), Ashton Holmes ("A History of Violence") and Rami Malek ("The War at Home").

"The Pacific" is currently filming in Australia. Production is expected to continue through the middle of next year.

http://www.cinemablend.com/televisio...ming-5839.html

‘John From Cincinnati’ may have left the Pacific for good, but HBO hasn’t left the ocean just yet. Filming has begun for ‘The Pacific,’ a follow-up to the 2001 megahit ‘Band of Brothers,’ produced by the same team of Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg and Gary Goetzman. Whereas ‘Brothers’ focused on the European theater of World War II battles, ‘Pacific’ will focus on, well, the Pacific theater. Don’t say they didn’t warn you.

The story follows three U.S. Marines through battles, from Guadalcanal—one of the first U.S.-Japan clashes—through VJ Day in August of 1945. Jon Seda (‘Close to Home’) has stepped into the lead role of John Basilone, originally to be played by Val Lauren (recently seen on ‘Crossing Jordan’). James Badge Dale (‘The Black Donnellys’) and Joseph Mazzello (recently of ‘CSI’) round out the leads as Robert Leckie and Eugene Sledge, respectively.

Five different directors will take on helming duties across the ten episodes of the series, according to Zap2It. Graham Yost and Tony To, who also directed episodes of ‘Brothers,’ will direct here as well as executive produce; the other directors are Tim van Patten, Carl Franklin and Jeremy Podeswa, with prestigious TV directing credits like ‘The Sopranos’ and ‘The Wire’ to each of their names.

‘Band of Brothers,’ which used eight different directors through its 10 parts, won five Emmys, including best direction in a miniseries and best miniseries. The team they’ve assembled thus far simply screams “PRESTIGE!”, and the casting of unknown actors indicates a faith in the material that doesn’t need to be supported by throwing Al Pacino, say, into the mix.

‘The Pacific’ is set to air on HBO in 2009.

[cumberlandreds]

Coming up in just over a month (sept 23) is Ken Burns series called The War. It's a 14 hour series on WWII that will be on PBS. I'm looking forward to this and hope it's as good as his other series have been.


http://www.pbs.org/thewar/

[jmcclain19]

This is a couple year old thread, but the topic is back current again.

HBO is finally debuting the Band of Brothers "Sequel" so to speak, in a few weeks.

It's another 10 part mini series made by the same crew.

"The Pacific" - has its first episode premiering March 14

http://www.hbo.com/the-pacific/index.html

[reds1869]

I may just have to add HBO for this. We don't usually have premium channels but Band of Brothers is one of my all-time favorites. I've been looking forward to this series for three years.

[redsfanmia]

I am a little leary about this, Band of Brothers is fantastic and I can not see how the Pacific can live up.

[Roy Tucker]

I am a little leary about this, Band of Brothers is fantastic and I can not see how the Pacific can live up.

I think you just have to judge it on its own merits.

And hey, The Godfather Part II wasn't chopped liver.

[Mario-Rijo]

I may just have to add HBO for this. We don't usually have premium channels but Band of Brothers is one of my all-time favorites. I've been looking forward to this series for three years.

Same here, I was wondering when this was finally gonna go down. Thanks jmcclain for the info.

[yab1112]

I thought Band of Brothers was fantastic. Can't wait for the 14th!