Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV News
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsABFFPride MonthOutfest OutfrontsSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
Sign In
New Customer? Create account
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Red Tails

  • 2012
  • PG-13
  • 2h 5m
IMDb RATING
5.9/10
36K
YOUR RATING
Red Tails (2012)
The story of the Tuskegee Airmen, the first African-American pilots to fly in a combat squadron during World War II.
Play trailer2:28
29 Videos
47 Photos
ActionDramaHistory

A crew of African American pilots in the Tuskegee training program, having faced segregation while kept mostly on the ground during World War II, are called into duty under the guidance of C... Read allA crew of African American pilots in the Tuskegee training program, having faced segregation while kept mostly on the ground during World War II, are called into duty under the guidance of Col. A.J. Bullard.A crew of African American pilots in the Tuskegee training program, having faced segregation while kept mostly on the ground during World War II, are called into duty under the guidance of Col. A.J. Bullard.

  • Director
    • Anthony Hemingway
  • Writers
    • John Ridley
    • Aaron McGruder
    • John B. Holway
  • Stars
    • Cuba Gooding Jr.
    • Gerald McRaney
    • David Oyelowo
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    5.9/10
    36K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Anthony Hemingway
    • Writers
      • John Ridley
      • Aaron McGruder
      • John B. Holway
    • Stars
      • Cuba Gooding Jr.
      • Gerald McRaney
      • David Oyelowo
    • 382User reviews
    • 147Critic reviews
    • 46Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 wins & 9 nominations

    Videos29

    No. 3
    Trailer 2:28
    Watch No. 3
    Trailer #2
    Trailer 1:35
    Watch Trailer #2
    Trailer #1
    Trailer 2:36
    Watch Trailer #1
    Red Tails
    Clip 1:15
    Watch Red Tails
    Red Tails
    Clip 1:10
    Watch Red Tails
    Red Tails: Let Us Fly
    Clip 1:07
    Watch Red Tails: Let Us Fly
    Red Tails: You're Fighter Pilots
    Clip 1:18
    Watch Red Tails: You're Fighter Pilots
    Red Tails: Keep Your Eyes Peeled For The Jerries
    Clip 1:16
    Watch Red Tails: Keep Your Eyes Peeled For The Jerries
    Red Tails: You're Fighter Pilots (Uk)
    Clip 1:19
    Watch Red Tails: You're Fighter Pilots (Uk)
    Red Tails: Taking The Train (Uk)
    Clip 1:16
    Watch Red Tails: Taking The Train (Uk)
    Red Tails: Taking The Train
    Clip 1:15
    Watch Red Tails: Taking The Train
    Red Tails: Keep Your Eyes Peeled For The Jerries (Uk)
    Clip 1:15
    Watch Red Tails: Keep Your Eyes Peeled For The Jerries (Uk)

    Photos47

    Michael B. Jordan, David Oyelowo, Ne-Yo, Nate Parker, and Tristan Mack Wilds in Red Tails (2012)
    Michael B. Jordan, Elijah Kelley, David Oyelowo, Ne-Yo, and Nate Parker in Red Tails (2012)
    Michael B. Jordan, Elijah Kelley, David Oyelowo, Leslie Odom Jr., and Nate Parker in Red Tails (2012)
    David Oyelowo, Nate Parker, and Tristan Mack Wilds in Red Tails (2012)
    Lars van Riesen in Red Tails (2012)
    Terrence Howard and Anthony Hemingway in Red Tails (2012)
    Red Tails (2012)
    Nate Parker in Red Tails (2012)
    Elijah Kelley in Red Tails (2012)
    David Oyelowo in Red Tails (2012)
    Ne-Yo in Red Tails (2012)
    Tristan Mack Wilds in Red Tails (2012)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Cuba Gooding Jr.
    Cuba Gooding Jr.
    • Major Emanuelle Stance
    Gerald McRaney
    Gerald McRaney
    • Lieutenant General Luntz
    David Oyelowo
    David Oyelowo
    • Joe 'Lightning' Little
    Andre Royo
    Andre Royo
    • Antwan 'Coffee' Coleman
    Terrence Howard
    Terrence Howard
    • Colonel A.J. Bullard
    Nate Parker
    Nate Parker
    • Marty 'Easy' Julian
    Tristan Mack Wilds
    Tristan Mack Wilds
    • Ray 'Junior' Gannon
    • (as Tristan Wilds)
    Ne-Yo
    Ne-Yo
    • Andrew 'Smokey' Salem
    Elijah Kelley
    Elijah Kelley
    • Samuel 'Joker' George
    Marcus T. Paulk
    Marcus T. Paulk
    • David 'Deke' Watkins
    Leslie Odom Jr.
    Leslie Odom Jr.
    • Declan 'Winky' Hall
    Michael B. Jordan
    Michael B. Jordan
    • Maurice Wilson
    Kevin Phillips
    Kevin Phillips
    • Leon 'Neon' Edwards
    Method Man
    Method Man
    • Sticks
    • (as Cliff Smith)
    Bryan Cranston
    Bryan Cranston
    • Colonel William Mortamus
    Lee Tergesen
    Lee Tergesen
    • Colonel Jack Tomlinson
    Daniela Ruah
    Daniela Ruah
    • Sofia
    Paul Fox
    Paul Fox
    • Miller
    • Director
      • Anthony Hemingway
    • Writers
      • John Ridley
      • Aaron McGruder
      • John B. Holway
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    More like this

    The Tuskegee Airmen
    7.1
    The Tuskegee Airmen
    Flyboys
    6.5
    Flyboys
    Red Tail Angels - The Story of the Tuskegee Airmen
    Red Tail Angels - The Story of the Tuskegee Airmen
    Memphis Belle
    6.9
    Memphis Belle
    A Espia
    7.3
    A Espia
    The Red Baron
    6.3
    The Red Baron
    Miss Evers' Boys
    7.1
    Miss Evers' Boys
    The Monuments Men
    6.1
    The Monuments Men
    Manifest Destiny
    6.9
    Manifest Destiny
    Field of Lost Shoes
    5.7
    Field of Lost Shoes
    Excuse
    7.2
    Excuse
    The Tuskegee Airmen
    7.0
    The Tuskegee Airmen

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      George Lucas began developing Red Tails around 1988 but was unable to secure funding from any major studio, as any he approached believed that producing a film featuring an all black cast would be unmarketable. As a result, Lucas ended up funding the project with his own money, investing $58 million into the production of the film, and a further $35 million towards marketing.
    • Goofs
      In the opening scene, the German flight leader is not wearing his oxygen mask throughout the entire battle. B-17 missions were routinely at altitudes of 25,000 feet (all the American characters are wearing masks). Without the oxygen mask, the German commander would have passed out in a matter of minutes.
    • Quotes

      Andrew 'Smokey' Salem: When you get upset, when you get mad, you turn red, right? When you get envious, or sick, you turn green. When you become cowardly, you turn yellow; and ya'll got the nerve to call us colored?

    • Connections
      Featured in Maltin on Movies: Haywire (2012)
    • Soundtracks
      It's Been a Long, Long Time
      Written by Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne

      Performed by Harry James and His Orchestra (as Harry James & His Orchestra)

      Courtesy of Columbia Records

      By arrangement with Sony Music Licensing

    User reviews382

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    4/10
    A Bad Musical Score For A Bad Movie
    Among the many problems I had with Red Tails, I suppose one of the most egregious was the incredibly overbearing and cloying musical score. But in a rather sad way, the score perfectly fits the entirely forced and artificial nature of the movie itself. Now, I know that typically a film's musical score is used to enhance emotion, but in the case of Red Tails, the music is so over-the-top, in-your-face, and cliché ridden that I couldn't help but laugh at times. One example is the music we hear when a soldier drives into an Italian town. Yes, we know we're in Italy, but in case anyone is confused we're treated to a musical cue that sounds like the spaghetti scene from Lady and the Tramp. And if you can't figure out that the German pilot is a bad guy, why, the music will certainly tell you! Well, that and the GIGANTIC SCAR ON HIS German FACE!

    And I'm sure I'll be called a pinko/commie for saying this, but what was up with playing America the Beautiful during the credits? It felt so forced, like the music in one of those "patriotic" animatronic exhibits at Disneyland that gets mocked. And the reason those are mocked is because they are lifeless objects trying to manipulate and force us to feel something without actually LETTING us feel that way on our own. It's cynical trickery. And that's how I feel about the score of Red Tails and pretty much the movie in general.

    The men of the 332nd were heroes and patriots. Real ones. But they were also real men, not the cartoon characters in Red Tails. And the Tuskegee Airmen deserve better than the childish fantasy of George Lucas by way of Anthony Hemingway.
    helpful•87
    44
    • mideleon
    • Jan 23, 2012

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    FAQ1

    • Where did the idea for this movie come from?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 20, 2012 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Italian
      • German
    • Also known as
      • Phi Đội Đỏ
    • Filming locations
      • Slovenia
    • Production companies
      • Twentieth Century Fox
      • Lucasfilm
      • Pakt Media
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $58,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $49,876,377
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $18,782,154
      • Jan 22, 2012
    • Gross worldwide
      • $50,365,498
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 5 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Datasat
      • Dolby Digital
      • Auro 11.1
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Red Tails (2012)
    Top Gap
    By what name was Red Tails (2012) officially released in India in English?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2023 by IMDb.com, Inc.