David Farnor | On 06, Apr 2021

Disney+ has cancelled The Right Stuff after one season.

Based on the bestseller by Tom Wolfe, The Right Stuff is an inspirational look at the early days of the US Space Program and the story of America’s first astronauts, the Mercury Seven. At the height of the Cold War in 1959, the Soviet Union dominates the space race, and America fears it is a nation in decline. The newly formed NASA has the monumental task of sending a man into space, and its engineers estimate they need decades to accomplish the feat. They are given two years. Dubbed Project Mercury, the programe recruits and trains just seven astronauts from a handful of the military’s best pilots. The result is an aspirational story about how ordinary human beings can achieve the extraordinary.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Davisson are executive producers, along with Mark Lafferty (Halt and Catch Fire), who is showrunner. In front of the camera, Suits’ Patrick J. Adams stars, alongside Lady Bird’s Jake McDorman, plus Colin O’Donoghue (Once Upon a Time), Aaron Staton (Mad Men), James Lafferty (The Haunting of Hill House), Micah Stock (Brittany Runs a Marathon) and Michael Trotter (Underground).

The project began at National Geographic and launched as a Disney+ original last year, marking Nat Geo’s first scripted original series for the subscription service and the service’s second original drama series after The Mandalorian. Now it also marks the first Disney+ scripted series to be cancelled.

Deadline reports that extensive talks were held to consider possible ways to continue the show, including a new mission set in the 1980s with a new cast. Warner Bros Television, the studio behind the programme, is shopping it round to other places, such as TNT or HBO Max, with the options on the cast reportedly extended for a couple of weeks to see if a home can be found.

 

The Right Stuff: First trailer lands for Disney+ space race series

26th July 2020

“It starts in two hours.” “What does?” “I don’t know.” That’s the sound of the US Space Program beginning in The Right Stuff, a new Disney+ series.

Based on the bestseller by Tom Wolfe, The Right Stuff is an inspirational look at the early days of the U.S. Space Program and the incredible story of America’s first astronauts, the Mercury Seven. At the height of the Cold War in 1959, the Soviet Union dominates the space race, and America fears it is a nation in decline. The newly formed NASA has the monumental task of sending a man into space, and its engineers estimate they need decades to accomplish the feat.

They are given two years. Dubbed Project Mercury, the programe recruits and trains just seven astronauts from a handful of the military’s best pilots. The result is an aspirational story about how ordinary human beings can achieve the extraordinary. Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Davisson are executive producers, along with Mark Lafferty (Halt and Catch Fire), who is showrunner.

In front of the camera, Suits’ Patrick J. Adams stars, alongside Lady Bird’s Jake McDorman, plus Colin O’Donoghue (Once Upon a Time), Aaron Staton (Mad Men), James Lafferty (The Haunting of Hill House), Micah Stock (Brittany Runs a Marathon) and Michael Trotter (Underground).

Now, we’ve got our first glimpse of them in action, as the National Geographic’s scripted drama drops its first trailer.

The video was unveiled alongside the show’s panel at Comic-Con At Home.
You can watch the full panel below. For more on Comic-Con At Home, see our guide to the Comic-Con At Home panels to watch out for and catch up with.

 

The Right Stuff: National Geographic’s NASA drama lands on Disney+ this autumn

5th May 2020

The Right Stuff, a new original scripted series from National Geographic, will officially touch down on Disney+ this autumn.

Adapted from Tom Wolfe’s iconic, bestselling nonfiction account of the early days of the NASA space program, the eight-episode drama follows the space race. America’s first reality show, it saw ambitious astronauts and their families become instant celebrities in a competition that could either kill them or make them immortal.

The series begins at the height of the Cold War in 1959, as the Soviet Union dominates the space race. To combat a national sentiment of fear and decline, the US government conceives of NASA’s Project Mercury, igniting a space race with the Soviets and making instant celebrities of a handful of the military’s most accomplished test pilots. These individuals, who come to be known as the Mercury Seven, are forged into heroes long before they have achieved a single heroic act. The nation’s best engineers estimate they need several decades to make it into outer space. They are given two years.

The two men at the centre of the story are Major John Glenn, a revered test pilot and committed family man with unwavering principles (Suits’ Patrick J. Adams), and Lieutenant Commander Alan Shepard, one of the best test pilots in Navy history (Lady Bird’s Jake McDorman). As they jockey to be the first man in space, the entire program is nearly brought to its knees by their intense rivalry.

The cast also includes Colin O’Donoghue (Once Upon a Time), Aaron Staton (Mad Men), James Lafferty (The Haunting of Hill House), Micah Stock (Brittany Runs a Marathon) and Michael Trotter (Underground).

“This true story of scientific innovation and human perseverance could not be more timely,” says Courteney Monroe, president, National Geographic Global Television Networks. “National Geographic’s The Right Stuff is an aspirational story about exploration, ambition, determination and resilience and reminds us that human beings can achieve the extraordinary when united by a common purpose. This series provides a compelling behind-the-scenes look at the flawed, but heroic Mercury 7 astronauts and we are thrilled that it has found its perfect home on Disney+.”

“As our audiences around the world turn to Disney+ to find inspiration and optimism, we believe the true-life heroism of the Mercury 7 will showcase the tenacity of the human spirit and inspire a new generation to reach for the stars,” adds Ricky Strauss, president, Content & Marketing, Disney+. “The wonderful team of storytellers at National Geographic, Warner Horizon Scripted Television and Appian Way have crafted a compelling and entertaining tale and we are honored to give it a global home as the first scripted Disney+ original series from National Geographic.”

Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Davisson are executive producers, along with Mark Lafferty (Halt and Catch Fire), who is showrunner. Chris Long (The Americans) directed and executive produced the first episode. Will Staples (Animals, Shooter) and Howard Korder (Boardwalk Empire) are also executive producers. Thelma Schoonmaker (Raging Bull) and Danny Strong (Empire, The Hunger Games) are consulting producers. Michael Hampton shepherded this project on behalf of Appian Way and is co-producer.

Here’s a trailer:

 

Photo: National Geographic / Gene Page

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