The timeless story of The Right Stuff has been adapted for television by National Geographic, and the series is set to make its premiere on the highly-popular Disney+ streaming service. Adapted from Tom Wolfe’s book of the same name, The Right Stuff tells the story of the early days of the American space program. Wolfe’s account of the Mercury Seven was first turned into a feature film in 1983, and will now be released as a limited series on Disney+, beginning this fall.
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The Right Stuff is a scripted series that takes a look at what would become known as America’s first “reality show,” as the astronauts involved, and their families, became overnight celebrities. The series takes place at the height of the Cold War in 1959, following the lives of the seven astronauts that are given two years to get into outer space.
Patrick J. Adams stars in the series as Major John Glenn and Jake McDorman as Lieutenant Commander Alan Shepard. Also starring in The Right Stuff is Colin O’Donoghue as Lieutenant Gordon Cooper, Aaron Staton as Wally Schirra, James Lafferty as Scott Carpenter, Micah Stock as Deke Slayton, and Michael Trotter as Gus Grissom.
Castle Rock‘s Mark Lafferty serves as showrunner and executive producer on The Right Stuff. Additional executive producers include Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Davisson.
“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,” said 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.”
“The Right Stuff evokes the wonder and awe of the moment we first escaped the bounds of our only home and ventured into the unknown,” added Lafferty. “But the show is as much about who we are today as it is about our historic achievements. At a time when the world is confronted with significant challenges, this story reminds us that what seems impossible today can become the triumph of tomorrow.”
Are you looking forward to The Right Stuff on Disney+ this fall? Let us know in the comments!
