Disney suddenly moves the American space race period drama The Right Stuff that was commissioned by National Geographic to its Disney+ streaming service, no word whether African audiences will still see it on Nat Geo.

by Thinus Ferreira

Disney has decided to rip away the new 8-episode drama series The Right Stuff that was commissioned by National Geographic (DStv 181 / StarSat 220) for that channel and will now be placing it on the Disney+ streaming service that isn't available in South Africa or Africa as a Disney+ original series.

Disney refuses to talk about Disney+ and its possible launch in South Africa and and neither Disney nor National Geographic in South Africa announced that The Right Stuff is moving from Nat Geo to Disney.

Whether The Right Stuff will still eventually play out on National Geographic as a linear show for viewers in South Africa and Africa is unclear.

The series, based on the book of Tom Wolfe, tells the story of the starting days of America's space exploration programme and is produced by Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way and Warner Horizon Scripted Television.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Davisson are executive producers along with Mark Lafferty who is the showrunner.

The period drama with Patrick J. Adams (Major John Glenn) and Jake McDorman (Lieutenant Commander Alan Shepard) will now play out as a National Geographic branded show on Disney+ in the United States and elsewhere in the world besides South Africa where Disney+ is available.

At the height of the Cold War in 1959, the Soviet Union dominates the space race. To combat a national sentiment of fear and decline, the United States government conceives of NASA's Project Mercury, igniting a space race with the Soviets and making instant celebrities of a handful of the military's most accomplished test pilots.

The rest of the Mercury Seven includes Lieutenant Gordon Cooper, portrayed by Colin O'Donoghue, the youngest of the seven who was selected to everyone's surprise; Wally Schirra, portrayed by Aaron Staton, a competitive pilot with a gift for pulling pranks; Scott Carpenter, portrayed by James Lafferty, a soulful man who was dubbed "The Poet" by the other astronauts; Deke Slayton, portrayed by Micah Stock, an intelligent pilot and engineer; and Gus Grissom, portrayed by Michael Trotter, a no-nonsense test pilot who eventually becomes the second man in space.

"This true story of scientific innovation and human perseverance could not be more timely," says Courteney Monroe, president of National Geographic Global Television Networks, in a statement, giving no explanation for the switch of the series from National Geographic to Disney+.

"National Geographic’s The Right Stuff is an aspirational story about exploration, ambition, determination and resilience and reminds us that human beings can achieve the extraordinary when united by a common purpose."

"This series provides a compelling behind-the-scenes look at the flawed, but heroic Mercury 7 astronauts and we are thrilled that it has found its perfect home on Disney+."

Ricky Strauss, president of content and marketing for Disney+, says "As our audiences around the world turn to Disney+ to find inspiration and optimism, we believe the true-life heroism of the Mercury 7 will showcase the tenacity of the human spirit and inspire a new generation to reach for the stars".

"The wonderful team of storytellers at National Geographic, Warner Horizon Scripted Television and Appian Way have crafted a compelling and entertaining tale and we are honored to give it a global home as the first scripted Disney+ original series from National Geographic."

Jennifer Davisson says "Tom Wolfe’s book brilliantly captured a critical moment in American history that really resonated with all of us at Appian Way and Nat Geo. Disney+ is the perfect partner to bring forth this story of what it takes to truly achieve something extraordinary, but also the personal costs of that ambition."

Mark Lafferty says "The Right Stuff evokes the wonder and awe of the moment we first escaped the bounds of our only home and ventured into the unknown".

"But the show is as much about who we are today as it is about our historic achievements. At a time when the world is confronted with significant challenges, this story reminds us that what seems impossible today can become the triumph of tomorrow."


ALSO READ: National Geographic commissions new scripted drama series, The Right Stuff, retelling the starting chapter of America's space race.

National Geographic commissions new scripted drama series, The Right Stuff, retelling the starting chapter of America's space race.

National Geographic (DStv 181 / StarSat 220 / Cell C black 261) has commissioned a new series, The Right Stuff, an adaptation of Tom Wolfe's best-seller that recounts the pioneering chapter of the United States's historic "space race".

Leonardo DiCaprio from his Appian Way and Jennifer Davisson from Warner Horizon Scripted Television are executive producers; alongside Mark Lafferty as executive producer and showrunner.

Production on The Right Stuff will begin later in 2019.

National Geographic says The Right Stuff "takes a clear-eyed, non-nostalgic look at the lives of these ambitious astronauts and their families, who became instant celebrities in a competition that would either kill them or make them immortal".

The first season of The Right Stuff 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 American public is in fear of a nation in decline, so the American 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 historical 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 programme, 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," says Carolyn Bernstein, executive vice president, global scripted content and documentary films, at National Geographic.

"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," says Mark 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 colourful characters at the centre of this pioneering era."