During its presentation at the Television Critics Association's winter press tour today, National Geographic gave a series order to the original drama series The Right Stuff based on the nonfiction book by Tom Wolfe. Production will begin this fall, with Emmy winner David Nutter (Game of Thrones) directing the premiere.
The first season of the drama will use the book as its starting point and will feature a mission for each season. Season one takes place at the height of the Cold War in 1958, when the Soviets are dominating the space race. The public is in fear of a nation in decline, so the U.S. government conceives of a solution - NASA's Project Mercury - creating the country's premier astronauts from a handful of the military's adrenaline-junkie test pilots. Seven individuals, known as the Mercury Seven, are plucked from obscurity and soon forged into heroes long before they have achieved a single heroic act. Within the heart of this historic drama that's populated by deeply human characters, two rivals John Glenn and Alan Shepard jockey to be the first in space.
Mark Lafferty developed the drama and will serve as showrunner for the first season. He will executive produce with Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Davisson and Will Staples. Warner Horizon Scripted Television and Appian Way Productions will produce.
