J.J. Abrams and Glen Powell’s Aviation Doc ‘The Blue Angels’ Lands at Amazon
Amazon Studios has landed worldwide rights to the U.S. naval aviation documentary “The Blue Angels,” which is backed by production companies of J.J. Abrams and “Top Gun: Maverick” star Glen Powell.
The film, shot with Imax cameras, chronicles a year in the cockpit with one of the world’s top aviator teams, the Navy and Marine Corps flight squadron, through their intense training and aerial touring show. Abrams’ Bad Robot, Powell’s Barnstorm Productions, Zipper Bros Films and Dolphin Entertainment produced the project.
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“This fascinating and layered documentary is wholly representative of the kind of work ethic, teamwork, and perseverance that goes into being a Blue Angel,” said Brianna Oh, Amazon’s head of documentary features. “We are incredibly honored to join this talented filmmaking team in bringing their story to audiences around the world.”
The film will play in theaters on a yet-to-be determined date before landing on Amazon Prime Video.
“’The Blue Angels’ will be the theatrical documentary experience of the year, and we’re thrilled to share it with a global audience,” said John Turner, head of documentaries for Imax. “Our partnership with Amazon Studios marks an exciting chapter for Imax as we reimagine how to broaden our original documentaries for a streaming audience. We’re grateful for the enthusiasm and support that the Amazon team has for the project. It reflects the infectious spirit that The Blues have instilled in millions of fans for 80 years.”
The film was directed and edited by Paul Crowder (“UFO”) and produced by Glen Zipper (“Undefeated”) through Zipper Bros Films, Mark Monroe (“Icarus”) through Diamond Docs, and Sean Stuart (“Challenger: The Final Flight”) through Sutter Road Picture Company. Rob Stone, Greg Wooldridge, Imax’s Megan Colligan and John Turner, and Dolphin Entertainment’s Bill O’Dowd and Emerson Davis served as executive producers.
“One of the most remarkable aspects of the Blue Angels’ story is their relentless pursuit of excellence. It’s a message that I think will be as inspiring to the audience as it has been to the filmmakers,” said Abrams, the co-CEO of Bad Robot.
CAA Media Finance arranged the film’s financing and brokered the deal. Dolphin Entertainment co-financed the film.
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