Will Arnett joins the cast of 'The Challenger'

 

Will Arnett will star opposite Kristen Stewart in the upcoming Amazon Prime Video limited series about NASA astronaut Sally Ride and the Challenger shuttle disaster.

The series was officially picked up at Amazon in March with Stewart attached to play Ride. The show is ispired by Meredith E. Bagby’s book “The New Guys.”

The official logline for the show states:

“‘The Challenger’ tells the gripping story of one of the most defining moments in space history, both the unprecedented events leading up to the tragedy, and the shocking investigation that followed. As the members of the 1986 Rogers Commission interrogate the complex inner workings of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to find what, or who, was responsible for the Challenger’s doomed fate, the show explores Commission member Sally Ride’s (Stewart) personal journey. We follow Sally, and the rest of the diverse Astronaut Class of ’78, through the ranks of the shuttle program, through initial recruitment and training, professional and personal highs and lows, until Sally’s historic glass ceiling moment as she becomes the first American woman in space.”

Arnett will star as George Abbey, who is described as “the influential NASA official often referred to as the architect of the modern astronaut corps.”

Arnett’s recent TV credits include “The Madison,” “The Morning Show,” “Twisted Metal,” and “BoJack Horseman.” He is a seven-time Emmy nominee, including sharing in two nods for “BoJack” for best animated series. He was nominated four times for guest starring in “30 Rock,” as well as one more time for his role in “Arrested Development.” Arnett’s feature credits include “Is This Thing On?” both “The LEGO Movie” and “The LEGO Batman Movie,” and “Despicable Me.”

He is repped by CAA and Sloane Offer.

Maggie Cohn is creating the series in addition to serving as executive producer and showrunner. Kyra Sedgwick and Valerie Stadler will executive produce for Big Swing Productions, where the project was initially developed. Bagby is also an executive producer, as are Stewart, Dylan Meyer, and Maggie McLean under their Nevermind production banner. Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey will executive produce for Amblin Television. James Hawes (“Slow Horses,” “Black Mirror”) will direct and executive produce.

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