Amazon Prime Video has officially greenlit a limited series about Sally Ride with Kristen Stewart attached to star.
The series, titled “The Challenger,” was first reported to be in the works at the streamer back in June 2024. It is inspired by Meredith E. Bagby’s book “The New Guys.” Maggie Cohn (“The Staircase,” “American Crime Story”) 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.
“Meredith, Valerie, and I at Big Swing have been passionately developing this project since 2017, and we are thrilled to be partnering with Amblin and Amazon MGM Studios,” Sedgwick said. “There is no one better than Maggie Cohn to bring to life the complex story of the Challenger and the new class of astronauts recruited by NASA in the early 1970s, all through the eyes of an American hero, Sally Ride.”
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.”
“Sally Ride’s courage and brilliance changed history, and we couldn’t imagine a more powerful actor to bring her story to life than Kristen Stewart,” said Peter Friedlander, head of global television for Amazon MGM Studios. “’The Challenger’ is an inspiring story about breaking barriers, and we’re thrilled to collaborate with Big Swing Productions, Amblin Television, Nevermind Pictures, Maggie Cohn, and James Hawes to share it with our global Prime Video audience.”
The series will mark the first regular TV role in Stewart’s career. She has established herself as one of the most popular actresses of her generation for her roles in acclaimed films like “Spencer” — for which she earned an Academy Award nomination — as well as for “Camp X-Ray,” “Clouds of Sils Maria,” “Seberg,” “Love Lies Bleeding,” and many more. She made her feature directorial debut in 2025 with “The Chronology of Water,” which screened in competition at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. She achieved early success in her career with her leading role in the “Twilight” film franchise.
The deal for the series was brokered by WME and CAA, with WME repping Amblin TV and Stewart, while CAA repped Sedgwick, Big Swing, and Cohn. Stewart is repped by WME, McKuin Frankel Whitehead, and Viewpoint. Sedgwick is repped by CAA, Range Media Partners, Origin Public Relations and Schreck Rose. Cohn is repped by CAA, 360, and Jackoway Austen Tyerman. James is repped by CAA, 42MP, and Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole LLP.
