Band of Brothers is coming to Netflix next month — and that’s not all

Damian Lewis as Major Richard "Dick" Winters in Band of Brothers on HBO
(Image credit: AJ Pics / Alamy Stock Photo / HBO)

Earlier this year Netflix inked a deal with HBO that would see some of the Home Box Office’s best shows land on the world’s most popular streaming service. The partnership kicked off with Ballers and Insecure arriving in July, and next up it’s been confirmed that Band of Brothers will come to Netflix in just a few week's time. 

Starting Friday, September 15, Band of Brothers and its sister series, The Pacific, will begin streaming on Netflix. The U.S. is the only region confirmed to receive the two series. And their arrival on Netflix will not impact their availability on Max (formerly HBO Max). The two war dramas will be available on both platforms simultaneously.

Debuting in 2001, Band of Brothers is widely considered one of the best war dramas ever created. Shortly after its initial airing it won a slew of awards including both an Emmy and a Golden Globe, and is still revered to this very day. Created by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg, and based on the book of the same name by Stephen E. Ambrose, the 10-part mini-series is an unflinching look at World War II and the men who gave everything during one of humanity’s darkest hours. 

The series focuses on Easy Company, 506th Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, and is set between 1942 and the end of the war in 1945. It follows this group of real-life heroes from basic training through to their involvement in several major battles in Europe. Along the way, it shows the personal toll the conflict takes on each member of the squad. Make no mistake, Band of Brothers is often a harrowing watch, but it’s also uplifting as it displays the very best of human nature not just the worst. 

Band of Brothers boasts an impressive cast list, with various recognizable names including Damian Lewis, Ron Livingston, Michael Fassbender, Stephen Graham, Tom Hardy, James McAvoy, Dominic Cooper and a memorable performance from David Schwimmer. It’s got a 97% on Rotten Tomatoes and continues to top lists of the best World War II movies/shows to this very day.    

Meanwhile, The Pacific is a companion series that was first released in 2010. It switches settings to the Pacific Theater and focuses on three soldiers in different regiments of the 1st Marine Division. While not quite as universally acclaimed as Band of Brothers, it’s still a technically impressive mini-series that focuses on a part of World War II that isn’t as commonly explored in movies and TV shows. It stars James Badge Dale, Joseph Mazzello, Jon Seda, Rami Malek and Ashton Holmes, and it’s currently 91% rated on Rotten Tomatoes

When these two war dramas arrive on Netflix next month they are practically shoo-ins to receive a place on our roundup of the best Netflix shows. Band of Brothers especially is utterly essential viewing and its arrival on Netflix should hopefully help a new generation of viewers better understand the great sacrifices made by those who fought in the war.  

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Rory Mellon
Entertainment Editor (UK)

Rory is an Entertainment Editor at Tom’s Guide based in the UK. He covers a wide range of topics but with a particular focus on gaming and streaming. When he’s not reviewing the latest games, searching for hidden gems on Netflix, or writing hot takes on new gaming hardware, TV shows and movies, he can be found attending music festivals and getting far too emotionally invested in his favorite football team.