Jonathan Majors’s Epic War Movie Is Dominating Streaming
The based on a true story war film, Devotion, starring Jonathan Majors and Glenn Powell, debuted at number one on Paramount+.
Jonathan Majors is on an incredible roll, with a starring role in Creed III and about to make his grand debut as the new MCU antagonist, Kang the Conqueror in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, it’s easy to forget that he also starred in a well-received Korean war biopic just a few months ago. Devotion, starring Majors and Top Gun: Maverick’s Glenn Powell, may not have made much at the box office, but the film debuted this week as the number one movie on Paramount+ according to streaming statistics site Flixpatrol.
Devotion adapts the real story of United Stats Navy pilots Jesse Brown (Jonathan Majors) and Tom Hudner (Glenn Powell), from the book Devotion: An Epic Story of Heroism, Friendship, and Sacrifice by Adam Makos. Brown is the only black pilot in Fighter Squadron 32 and bonds with the newly transferred Hudner, introducing the pilot to his family while getting rides to the base. The film follows the two pilots from training in the States, to deployment in France, and finally their involvement in the early days of the Korean War.
Director J.D. Dillard wanted to use actual aircraft as much as possible, using real Corsairs, Bearcats, a MiG-15, and one of the last HO5S-1 helicopters capable of flight. For assistance on getting the airborne practical effects just right, Kevin LaRosa, the aerial stunt coordinator behind Top Gun: Maverick was brought in to help the production. Jonathan Majors, and the other pilots, were airborne while filming their flying scenes, which was new to the Lovecraft Country star, but old hat at this point for Glenn Powell, having already filmed his role in that other U.S. Naval fighter movie that released this year.
Glenn Powell is the reason Devotion was made in the first place, with the actor having been so impressed upon reading the book that he approached a studio about optioning the film rights. Powell even met the real-life Tom Hudner before his death in 2017. Two years later, and one year after Top Gun: Maverick was filmed, Jonathan Majors was brought on board, with the rest of the film falling into place after his casting.
While Devotion made only $21 million worldwide against a budget of $90 million, the film is set to have a successful life on streaming with exceptional scores on Rotten Tomatoes, 81% fresh according to critics with a 92% audience score. Critics cite Jonathan Majors’ performance as a high-point of the film, just adding to the actors’ successful resume before he breaks out in the MCU later this year. Even if he broke out with Lovecraft Country, Majors is going to do it again, in the span of 30 days starting next month.
Creed III, featuring Jonathan Majors as a childhood friend of Michael B. Jordan’s Adonis Creed out to prove himself, releases on March 3rd. Two weeks before that on February 17th, Majors debuts as Kang in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, kicking off the next phase of Marvel movies in earnest. Until then fans can get their Majors fix through Devotion, available to stream on Paramount+.
