'Wolf Hound' WWII Movie Inspired by a Secret Nazi Air Combat Unit

The World War II thriller "Wolf Hound," which has been in the works for almost four years, is finally set for theatrical and home video release in summer 2022. The movie tells the story of Luftwaffe special operations unit KG-200, which repaired downed Allied planes and used them for Trojan horse missions deep behind enemy lines.

Director Michael Chait makes his feature film debut with "Wolf Hound," but the veteran commercial director did some prep work in a series of short documentary films about historic aircraft and one about the Michigan Air National Guard.

Chait teamed with Craig Hosking as his aerial coordinator and lead pilot, roles Hosking also performed on Christopher Nolan's 2017 WWII movie, "Dunkirk." Along with cinematographer Westley Gathright (who worked with Chait on his earlier airplane documentaries) and aerial director of cinematography Dwayne McClintock, the team set out to capture as much live action footage as possible with minimal use of digital effects.

The Yankee Air Museum in Belleville, Michigan, provided its bomber plant hanger for location shooting and allowed the production to use its North American B-25 Mitchell Bomber and one of the only 10 Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress Bombers still flying.

When the movie originally was announced in 2018, Chait said he hoped also to use P-51 Mustangs, a Supermarine Spitfire, Hawker Hurricane and either a German Messerschmitt Bf 109 or Focke-Wulf Fw 190. No word yet as to which planes finally made it into the movie, but a trailer release will hopefully answer those questions.

The movie tells the fictional story of Capt. David Holden, a Jewish American fighter pilot who's downed behind enemy lines. To foil a plot that could deliver victory to the Axis, Holden must avoid the enemy as he rescues a captured B-17 Flying Fortress bomber crew.

The movie stars James Maslow as Holden. Best known for his role in the Nickelodeon series, "Big Time Rush," and his membership in the show's spinoff musical group, Maslow says he has a personal connection to the story. "My grandfather flew B-17s in WWII and I've always wanted to play a pilot from that period of time," he said when the movie went into production. "This story is remarkably similar to something he actually went through."

Trevor Donovan, best known as Teddy Montgomery on the CW series "90210," portrays Holden's nemesis, German officer Maj. Erich Roth.

Chait is excited that his movie is getting a release from Lionsgate's Grindstone division. "Getting the opportunity to direct such a talented cast and crew, and to tell a powerful story on an epic canvas for my first feature film, is truly both an honor and a dream come true," Chait said in a press release. "I want to give audiences an exciting, emotive experience with 'Wolf Hound,' using our feel, style and tone to put them right there with our characters in the middle of the action! I cannot thank Grindstone enough for their belief in our movie."

If "Wolf Hound" really were made with live-action aerial dogfight scenes and a minimum of computer-generated effects, it should be one of the most interesting military movies of 2022. We'll find out this summer.

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