Amazon has officially approved Kristen Stewart’s long-anticipated space-themed TV series, The Challenger. The show, in development for several years, will feature Stewart portraying astronaut and physicist Sally Ride. According to a report from Deadline, the series has been given a limited series order by Amazon.
The project is spearheaded by Maggie Cohn, known for The Staircase, who will serve as writer, executive producer, and showrunner. The series draws inspiration from Meredith E. Bagby’s 2023 book The New Guys and aims to tell the compelling story of the historic space shuttle Challenger disaster.
Set in 1986, the series will depict the events surrounding the Challenger explosion, which tragically broke apart shortly after launch, claiming the lives of all seven crew members, including Sally Ride and Christa McAuliffe, a schoolteacher chosen for NASA’s Teacher in Space Project. The disaster was notably broadcast live, deeply affecting viewers across the nation.
The Challenger will focus on Ride’s journey, highlighting her rise through the ranks of NASA’s astronaut program, from recruitment and training to her groundbreaking achievement as the first American woman in space. The series will also explore the stories of the diverse Astronaut Class of ’78, capturing their personal and professional struggles leading up to the disaster.
Kyra Sedgwick and Valerie Stadler will serve as executive producers, alongside Kristen Stewart, Dylan Meyer, Maggie McLean, Darryl Frank, Justin Falvey, Maggie Cohn, Meredith E. Bagby, and James Hawes. The series promises to offer a powerful portrayal of one of NASA’s most defining moments, honoring the lives and legacies of those involved.
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