History Channel has just released the premiere date for Project Blue Book, a scripted series that will follow a group of American agents as they explore the potential of extraterrestrial life living beyond the bounds of Earth. Although the series is scripted, it is based on a period of American history that truly did occur only a few decades ago.
Starting in 1952 and running until 1969, the U.S. Air Force is known to have conducted research and investigations into the possible existence of UFO’s and similar ideas that have wracked the minds of humans for decades on end. The Air Force sought out some of the brightest minds, calling in Professor Dr. J. Allen Hynek to help them find an answer to the long-posed question. While the team did comb through hundreds of past “sightings” and claims, many cases were ultimately left unsolved, with the group not coming to a definite conclusion in support of alien existence by the conclusion of the program.
The series, which will premiere on January 8, 2019, will be a ten-episode journey that combines both new theories and historical retellings. The History Channel has even said that the show will explore “themes [such] as trust, instinct, real news vs. fake news and government cover-up.”
Starring in the series will be Aidan Gillen(Game of Thrones, The Wire, Peaky Blinders) as Dr. Hynek, and Michael Malarkey(The Vampire Diaries, The Oath). A few other familiar faces will also be present, however, with Neal McDonough, Michael Harney, and Laura Mennell playing regular roles within the cast.
The series was created by David O’Leary, whose big UFO project is one of his first ever endeavors. He will also serve as writer and executive producer for the series, alongside Robert Zemeckis, who is largely known for his writing of the Back to the Future movie series, production of the 2012 film Flight and directing of Forrest Gump.
Watch the trailer for the series below: