With a boldness that hearkens back to the original Apollo missions, "The First," a near-future dramatic series starring Sean Penn, will tell the story of the hopeful first humans to land on Mars.
Many consider the Red Planet to be the future of spaceflight and exploration — a beacon of hope for the future of our planet and space programs. Decades of science-fiction depictions of Martians and a journey to Mars, ranging from the scientifically plausible to the ridiculous, have romanticized the notion of traveling to the Red Planet. But now that it seems that a crewed mission to Mars will actually occur within the near future, it's exciting to imagine what that incredible journey might be like.
"The First" takes on the challenge of transporting viewers to the near future, when humankind makes the bold attempt to land humans on Mars for the first time. It will depict the perilous journey that a hopeful crew of astronauts will make in pursuit of being "the first" to press their Earth-made boots into the planet's dusty surface. This adventure will detail the personal sacrifices of the crew and the dangers they face along the way. [Surviving 'The Martian': How to Stay Alive on Mars (Infographic)]
In "The First," aerospace visionary Laz Ingram, played by actor Natascha McElhone, will direct the crewmembers in their mission to Mars. And while not much else is known about the journey that the crew of "The First" will endure, if the trailer is any indication, it will be a visually stunning and dramatic story.
Created and executive produced by Beau Willimon, known for his work with the award-winning television series "House of Cards," "The First" will feature actors LisaGay Hamilton, Natascha McElhone, Hannah Ware, Keiko Agena, Rey Lucas, James Ransone, Anna Jacoby-Heron, Brian Lee Franklin and Oded Fehr, and it will star Sean Penn. The series will premiere on Hulu Friday, Sept. 14.
Email Chelsea Gohd at cgohd@space.com or follow her @chelsea_gohd. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
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