Screen Rant is proud to present an exclusive behind-the-scenes clip from Devotion‘s digital release. Based on a book by Adam Makos, the Korean War epic follows U.S. Navy fighter pilots Jesse Brown and Tom Hudner, the former of which became the Navy’s first Black aviator. Directed by J.D. Dillard (whose own father was a Blue Angel) and written by Jake Crane and Jonathan Stewart, Devotion tackles the racial tension of the time period and the dangers of their job.
Jonathan Majors and Glen Powell star in Devotion as Brown and Hudner respectively, and they are joined by an ensemble cast that includes pop star Joe Jonas, actress Christina Jackson, and screen veteran Thomas Sadoski. Powell’s Lieutenant Judner is a newcomer to Fighter Squadron 32, who meets and befriends Ensign Brown, the lone Black man in their unit. The film chronicles the latter’s heroism and untimely demise during the war, with both the creative team and star taking pains to be respectful of the material.
What To Expect From Devotion’s Home Release
In Screen Rant‘s exclusive behind-the-scenes clip from Devotion‘s digital release, Majors shares how he got in touch with Jesse Brown’s only living brother a year before filming the movie. While hearing stories of Jesse’s youth, Majors felt more connected to the real-life person and his origins. Beyond simply understanding his righteousness and bravery, it was important to explore the ambition and drive that led to Brown even changing the cadence of his voice for the sake of his position in the Navy. His rigorous life as an Ensign contrasts with the comforts of home and family, which the actor better understood after speaking to his brother.
Devotion arrives with digital bonus content, including the above clip. Two featurettes accompany the film itself, the first of which is “The Aviation of a Forgotten War.” This takes a deep dive into the world of 1950s U.S. Naval aviation and the epic aerial action brought to life in Devotion. The actors enter real planes used during the Korean War in this behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film. Screen Rant‘s clip, meanwhile, comes from the second featurette: “The Legacy of Jesse Brown.” The extraordinary life of Jesse Brown, the first African American Naval Aviator, is laid bare here along with his personal journey during the Korean War. Majors and the rest of Devotion‘s cast and crew discuss Jesse’s unique and complex story in this segment.
Paramount Pictures, which now owns Devotion, had a robust year in 2022. They started off strong with the new Scream, which is already launching the next generation of the franchise, and followed that up with Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and fellow aviator film Top Gun: Maverick. Finally, they proved they know their way around the horror genre with both Orphan: First Kill and the surprisingly successful Smile.
Devotion is now available to stream on Paramount+ and buy on Digital. It will be out on DVD and Blu-ray on February 28.