George Lucas has much of the world’s money and so can do whatever he wants. For over 20 years he’s been planning a movie based on the famed story of the Tuskegee airmen, and finally in 2009 it started shooting under the direction of Anthony Hemingway, and a cast including Terrence Howard, Cuba Gooding Jr., David Oyelowo and Ne-Yo. However since then the movie has been somewhat in limbo, with nobody entirely sure why it was taking so long to get to cinema screens. Lucas has been fairly quiet about it, despite rumours he was unhappy with Hemingway’s direction and has been trying to put things right with reshoots and effects work. However it now appears the movie is getting to the point where George is satisfied with it, as the first trailer for the movie has arrived, which you can see below.
Set during 1944, the war in Europe continues to take its toll on Allied forces, and the Pentagon brass has no recourse but to consider unorthodox options – including the untried and untested African-American pilots of the experimental Tuskegee training program. Just as the young Tuskegee men are on the brink of being shut down and shipped back home, they are given the ultimate chance to show their courage. Against all the odds, with something to prove and everything to lose, these intrepid young airmen take to the skies to fight for their country – and the fate of the free world. It’s a famous tale and has taken on legendary proportions in African-American history. Lucas therefore needs to get it right, and while it certainly looks like the aerial sequences will be spectacular, it’s yet to be seen whether the rest of the movie works. We should be able to find out early next year.