A new trailer for The Blue Angels, an IMAX documentary from Amazon Studios to be released on May 17, debuted Wednesday on YouTube, showcasing the elite U.S. Navy-Marine Corps demonstration team’s dramatic maneuvers and stunning precision.
The film chronicles a year in the lives of team members as they train for a new show season and fly a demanding schedule of performances. The story focuses on the latest class of Navy and Marine Corps pilots entering the team as well as veterans of the group who are finishing their tours of duty before returning to the fleet.
The Blue Angels marks the first time the famous blue and yellow F/A-18 Super Hornets will be featured in the impressive IMAX format. The film also captures the team’s inner workings, including support staff on the ground and family members at home. As a unit, the Blue Angels include a total of 158 active duty Navy and Marine personnel.
This year marks the 78th anniversary of the Blue Angels’ operation, which was designed to demonstrate the excitement and power of Naval aviation for audiences in the U.S. and abroad.
“This fascinating and layered documentary is wholly representative of the kind of work ethic, teamwork, and perseverance that goes into being a Blue Angel,” Brianna Oh, head of documentary features at Amazon Studios, said last year when Amazon acquired worldwide rights to the film. “We are incredibly honored to join this talented filmmaking team in bringing their story to audiences around the world.”
Said John Turner, head of documentaries for IMAX: “The Blue Angels will be the theatrical documentary experience of the year, and we’re thrilled to share it with a global audience. Our partnership with Amazon Studios marks an exciting chapter for IMAX as we reimagine how to broaden our original documentaries for a streaming audience.”
Award-winning filmmaker Paul Crowder directed and edited the documentary, which was produced by Academy Award-winning producers Glen Zipper of Zipper Bros Films, Mark Monroe of Diamond Docs, and Sean Stuart with Sutter Road Picture Company. Bad Robot Productions’ J.J. Abrams and Hannah Minghella also produced, as did Glen Powell with Barnstorm Productions.
“One of the most remarkable aspects of the Blue Angels’ story is their relentless pursuit of excellence,” said Abrams. “It’s a message that I think will be as inspiring to the audience as it has been to the filmmakers.”
