Academy Award winner Leonardo DiCaprio is following the suit of many film stars by joining the world of television. TVGuide.com reported on Tuesday that the actor’s latest project will be a television adaption of Tom Wolfe’s novel The Right Stuff. The 1979 novel is about pilots involved in postwar research that leads to the recruitment, training, and fame of the first U.S. astronauts.
DiCaprio’s production company Appian Way is set to be part of the upcoming series, while National Geographic is set to be the home network. Warner Horizon Scripted Television is also involved in the project. DiCaprio, Jennifer Davisson, and Will Staples will serve as executive producers. Staples will also be as a writer on the series. DiCaprio and Davisson previously worked with the National Geographic Channel on their 2016 documentary Before The Flood.
The network expects for the series to last multiple seasons and is even planning out storylines for the future. Each season will reportedly focus on one specific NASA mission. Season 1 of The Right Stuff will be set during 1958, which is when the Cold War took place. The season will most likely follow the American astronauts journey to space.
Variety spoke with Courteney Monroe, the CEO of National Geographic Global Networks, about the partnership with DiCaprio.“Having already had a rich relationship with Leonardo, Jennifer and their production company Appian Way on Before the Flood, I’m excited to work with them in a scripted capacity,” she said. “With The Right Stuff, we’re looking at moment in time where the everyday life, the trials and tribulations, of these men was scrutinized in the public. The story gives a peek into the minds and goals of these astronauts seeking exploration and adventure during the space race of the ’50s, making it the perfect story for National Geographic to tell.”
Davisson added that she is excited to work with the network again. “National Geographic gave Before the Flood an international platform, and we couldn’t think of a better partner to bring The Right Stuff to the world,” she said. “The heroism of these astronauts was rivaled only by the country’s fascination with their story; this series uncovers both the adventure of space exploration and the adventure of being unwittingly thrust into the public eye.”
The Right Stuff has previously been adapted into a 1983 film of the same name directed by Philip Kaufman. The film stars Fred Ward, Charles Frank, Scott Glenn, Ed Harris and Dennis Quaid.