Originally produced for National Geographic, the upcoming original drama series The Right Stuff will now premiere on Disney+ this fall. The eight-episode season is adapted from Tom Wolfe's bestselling nonfiction novel detailing the early days of the U.S. space program.
At the height of the Cold War in 1959, the Soviet Union dominates the space race. To combat a national sentiment of fear and decline, the U.S. 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 drama stars Patrick J. Adams, Jake McDorman, Colin O'Donoghue, Aaron Staton, James Lafferty, Micah Stock, Michael Trotter, Nora Zehetner, Eloise Mumford, Shannon Lucio, Patrick Fischler, Eric Ladin, Josh Cooke and Danny Strong.
Mark Lafferty (Castle Rock, Halt and Catch Fire) developed the drama. He executive produces with Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Davisson, Will Staples, Howard Korder and director Chris Long. Thelma Schoonmaker and Danny Strong serve as consulting producers. Warner Horizon Scripted Television and Appian Way Productions produce.
