A new television drama centered on the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger disaster is moving forward at Prime Video, with actor Will Arnett joining the cast of the limited series The Challenger.
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According to Deadline, Arnett will star opposite Kristen Stewart in the project, which examines both the events that led to the Challenger tragedy and the investigation that followed.
Prime Video officially ordered the series earlier this year. The production draws inspiration from Meredith E. Bagby’s 2023 book The New Guys: The Historic Class of Astronauts That Broke Barriers and Changed the Face of Space Travel.
Stewart will portray astronaut Sally Ride, who became the first American woman in space in 1983. The series follows Ride and other members of NASA’s groundbreaking 1978 astronaut class as they navigate training, career milestones, and personal challenges during a transformative period in the U.S. space program.
The story ultimately leads to the Challenger disaster and the subsequent Rogers Commission investigation.
Will Arnett To Play George Abbey
Arnett will play George Abbey, a powerful NASA official widely regarded as a key architect of the modern astronaut corps. Abbey played a significant role in astronaut selection and career advancement during the Space Shuttle era, making him a central figure in the series’ depiction of NASA’s internal operations.
The Challenger exploded 73 seconds after liftoff on January 28, 1986, killing all seven crew members aboard. The disaster shocked the nation and prompted an extensive investigation into NASA’s decision-making processes and safety practices.
The new series aims to explore not only the tragedy itself but also the institutional and personal factors that shaped one of the most consequential moments in American spaceflight history.
Maggie Cohn created the series and will serve as showrunner and executive producer. Director James Hawes, known for his work on acclaimed television dramas, will direct and executive produce. Additional executive producers include Bagby, Kyra Sedgwick, Valerie Stadler, and members of Stewart’s Nevermind production banner.
Production details and a release date have not yet been announced, but the limited series is already drawing attention for its focus on a defining chapter in American space exploration history.