First Peek at Lucas’ Red Tails
I’m not the only one who had a bad taste left in their mouth after yesterday’s Battleship debut trailer. I actually chose not to run a rant article so that I didn’t feel obligated to spread the video around that much further. Fortunately, my tastes buds were saved today. George Lucas’ long awaited epic based on the Tuskegee Airmen of World War II finally has a trailer and it looks pretty promising.
Red Tails tells the story of the ‘experimental’ squadron of African-American fighter pilots that were eventually tasked with escorting B-17 and B-25 bombers into enemy airspace to complete their bombing runs. The name stems from the red paint the airmen of the 337th Fighter Group covered their P-47s’ tails with. The bomber pilots went a step further and called them The Red Tail Angels, due to their successes later in the war.
It may be too early to tell, but at first glance, the potential is obvious. The effects alone rival those ILM already accomplished for Pearl Harbor, only on a larger scale. I’d wager a certain Mr. Lucas, on board as writer, is looking for a 2012 Oscar nod with Red Tails. It already has 3 major ingredients for nomination:
- Racial tension
- Incredible special effects
- Cuba Gooding Jr.
Red Tails, starring Cuba Gooding Jr., Gerald McRaney, Bryan Cranston, Ne-Yo and Terence Howard, is due for release early 2012.
