THE RIGHT STUFF: National Geographic Orders Series Adaptation of Tom Wolfe Book

National Geographic has ordered THE RIGHT STUFF—an adaptation of the Tom Wolfe nonfiction book—the channel announced during its Television Critics Association session. Mark Lafferty will showrun the series, while David Nutter will direct the pilot.

Per NatGeo, “The first season, which uses the book as its starting point, 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 archrivals — John Glenn and Alan Shepard — jockey to be the first in space.”

“Subsequent seasons of THE RIGHT STUFF will carry through to the epochal Apollo Space Program, where humankind saw one of its greatest achievements — man setting foot on the moon — and missions beyond.”

“The behind-the-scenes stories of the astronauts in Tom Wolfe’s bestseller The Right Stuff are engaging, provocative and timeless,” said Carolyn Bernstein, executive vice president, global scripted content and documentary films, in a statement. “The book’s narrative aligns perfectly with the qualities that we look for in scripted projects: fact-based, wildly entertaining and pushing the limits of human achievement.”

“The Right Stuff is about a moment when the country looked in the same direction to achieve the stuff of fantasy, and on a timeline that was nearly impossible,” added Lafferty. “The story is a reminder of what we’re capable of, but it also shows how much we’ve changed and diversified over time. National Geographic is the perfect home to showcase the ambitious and colorful characters at the center of this pioneering era.”

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