A new TV adaptation of “The Right Stuff” is set to premiere on Disney+ this Friday, Oct. 9, with two episodes. The drama series is based on Tom Wolfe‘s 1979 bestseller about the Mercury Seven astronauts, who were hailed as heroes for being pioneers in space travel. The first season of “The Right Stuff” will run for eight episodes and takes place in 1958 at the height of the Cold War. Each season will focus on a new mission that eventually culminated with the historic moon landing.
Wolfe’s carefully researched book won the National Book Award for Nonfiction while the 1983 film version, directed by Philip Kaufman, earned eight Oscar nominations including a Best Picture bid. It won four Academy Awards for film editing, score, sound and sound effects editing.
The cast of the series, which is the first from NatGeo to stream on Disney+, includes a bevy of TV regulars: Jake McDorman as Alan Shepard; Patrick J. Adams as John Glenn; James Lafferty as Scott Carpenter; Aaron Staton as Wally Schirra; Colin O’Donoghue as Gordon Cooper; Micah Stock as Deke Slayton; and Michael Trotter as Gus Grissom.
As described by Disney+, “Competing to be the first in space, these men achieve the extraordinary, inspiring the world to turn towards a new horizon of ambition and hope.” Courteney Monroe, president of National Geographic Global Television Networks says the series “could not be more timely,” adding that it 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.”
National Geographic partnered with Warner Horizon Television and Leonardo DiCaprio‘s Appian Way Productions. DiCaprio is a producer on the series alongside Will Staples, Jennifer Davisson, Mark Lafferty, Lizzie Mickery and Howard Korder.
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