The Right Stuff moves to Disney+ and gets Fall 2020 premiere

National Geographic Channel’s upcoming series The Right Stuff will be premiering on Disney Plus at some point this fall. This marks National Geographic’s first scripted original series for the streaming service.

The Cold War, the space race, and the Mercury Seven. A time in U.S. history that became significant and eventually led to the moon landing. National Geographic’s new series, The Right Stuff, takes us into the lives of the Mercury Seven, seven individuals who were chosen to become part of the project the U.S. government created, NASA’s Project Mercury, to get ahead of the Soviet Union in the space race.

According to Deadline, The series is adapted from Tom Wolfe’s nonfiction book of the same name. Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way and Warner Horizon Scripted Television produced the series.

Here is the synopsis:

"Astronauts and their families become instant celebrities in a competition that will either kill them or make them immortal in the quest to be a part of Project Mercury."

In the series, seven of the military’s most accomplished test pilots are chosen for the project. The seven and their families end up in the spotlight and “are forged into heroes long before they have achieved a single heroic act.” The nation’s best engineers estimate it’ll take decades to reach outer space – they’re given two years.

You can watch a clip released by Disney Plus for a closer look at the new series:

Deadline reports the eight, one-hour episodes will focus on the lives of all seven men, but Major John Glenn, played by actor Patrick J. Adams, and Lieutenant Commander Alan Shepard, played by actor Jake McDorman seem to be at the center of the series.

Glenn is described as a revered test pilot and committed family man with unwavering principles, and Shepard is one of the best test pilots in the Navy’s history. According to Deadline, the two are rivals, fighting to be the first to reach space.

Here are the other members of the Mercury Seven:

"Lieutenant Gordon Cooper: The youngest of the seven and selected to be part of the project to everyone’s surprise. He is portrayed by actor Colin O’Donoghue.Wally Schirra: A competitive pilot who is good at pulling pranks. He is played by Aaron Staton.Scott Carpenter: A soulful man who was dubbed “The Poet” by the other astronauts. He is played by James Lafferty.Deke Slayton: A quiet but intelligent pilot and engineer. He is portrayed by Micah Stock.Gus Grissom: A no-nonsense test pilot who eventually becomes the second man to go to space. He is played by actor Michael Trotter."

According to Deadline, some other key cast members include Nora Zehetner as Annie Glenn, Shannon Lucio as Louise Shepard, and  Eloise Mumford as Trudy Cooper.

Deadline reports the book will be used as the starting point for the show, which will feature a mission for each season and future seasons eventually leading to the moon landing.

The decision to release The Right Stuff in the fall was a smart one made by Disney Plus. Many streaming services will be left with a shortage of new, original series due to coronavirus shutting down production on shows.

I’m a little (OK, very) biased toward a certain actor – Once Upon a Time‘s Colin O’Donoghue. I first heard about this new show because he’s in it, and I can’t wait to see the pirate turned astronaut in action especially because his fans haven’t seen him in anything new for a while now.

His character, Gordon Cooper sounds so interesting and I’m very excited to see how his storyline will play out. Who else caught him hugging his two TV daughters in the clip? (Hint, it’s at 1:04 and melted my heart no matter how quick the shot is).

I’m also looking forward to his dynamic with his wife and the struggles they’re going to go through. She’s also an accomplished pilot, which is amazing for woman in the 1950s, so I’m excited to learn about her story as well.

Plus, O’Donoghue reunited with another actor who was on Once Upon a Time on this project. Patrick Fischler will be playing Bob Gilruth, “a soft-spoken rocket scientist who is a critical member of NASA’s Space Task group.

This show looks to be very promising and I think it will intrigue all the history buffs like me itching for something new to watch, but also anyone looking to go on an emotional journey with these characters. Their stories, who are based on real people, of course, sound compelling and human. Even though they’re put in a very unique experience, I think their personal stories and struggles will draw the audience in.

The Right Stuff will begin streaming on Disney+ in fall 2020.