Where there’s a hit property, there will (usually) be a podcast. The Office did it. The James Bond franchise did it. Entourage creator, Doug Ellin, is still doing it. And in celebration of the critically-acclaimed WWII drama series’ 20th anniversary, HBO is releasing the official Band of Brothers podcast this week.
Hosted by Men In Blazers vet, Roger Bennett, the 12-part affair will kick off with a guest star that needs no introduction – the show’s co-creator, co-writer, and grandad to America: Tom Hanks. The old fella features on the debut episode, while the immediate follow-up instalment will examine Band of Brothers‘ pilot episode ‘Currahee’, which Hanks actually adapted in collaboration with Erik Jendresen. Ron Livingston, who portrayed Captain Lewis Nixon, will also appear for the ‘Currahee’ episode to discuss Easy Company – 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the Division.
“Anybody seeing this for the first time will be saying, ‘Alright… take away the amount of celebration of nostalgia, this is an examination of the human condition,’” says Tom Hanks.
“What do you think? What would you do?”
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“Band of Brothers was such an important show to me,” Roger Bennett tells Deadline.
“Like thousands, I watch it every year ritually. The face of an America I grew up believing in. Of everyday heroism, selflessness, and global leadership.”
“In June 2020, there were approximately 300,000 Second World War veterans still alive. By June 2021, that number had dwindled to just 100,000. The youngest who once served are now in their late nineties.”
“When you read those numbers, it becomes clear why the Band of Brothers story becomes more important as the years pass. These remarkable men are no longer alive to pay witness and tell their stories themselves. It is simply unfathomable to imagine what would happen if their narrative fades in our national consciousness.”
Other interviews we can expect include Damien Lewis, who portrayed Major Richard “Dick” Winters, and plenty others.
HBO’s official Band of Brothers podcast hits Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and other associated platforms starting from September 9th (20 years after the show premiered) – check out the trailer below.
