Adams will star in National Geographic’s scripted series The Right Stuff, based on Tom Wolfe’s book about the Project Mercury astronauts. The series, which counts Leonardo DiCaprio among its executive producers, has also tapped Halt and Catch Fire and Castle Rock veteran Mark Lafferty as showrunner.
The series will use Wolfe’s best-selling book about the early days of the space race as a starting point; subsequent seasons will follow the U.S. space program through the Apollo missions and beyond.
The Right Stuff opens in the height of the Cold War, following the Soviet Union’s successful launch of the Sputnik satellite into orbit. NASA’s Project Mercury makes instant celebrities of the seven test pilots tapped to be future astronauts, portrayed as heroes before they actually do anything heroic.
Glenn is a revered test pilot and committed family man with unwavering principles. He’s the only astronaut who was famous before Project Mercury and immediately develops a rivalry with Alan Shepard as both vie to be the first man in space.
The Right Stuff will be Adams’ first full-time TV role since he left USA’s Suits at the end of its seventh season. He has a recurring part in the third season of Amazon’s Sneaky Pete. He is repped by ICM Partners, Andy Corren Management and attorney Lev Ginsburg.
The series comes from Appian Way and Warner Horizon Scripted Television. DiCaprio, Jennifer Davisson, Lafferty and Will Staples are executive producers; David Nutter (Game of Thrones, Band of Brothers) will direct and exec produce the first episode. Michael Hampton shepherded the project for Appian Way.
The series is set to begin production in Florida in the fall for a 2020 premiere. Nat Geo’s other scripted offerings include limited series The Hot Zone and anthology series Genius.
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