AceShowbiz - Kristen Stewart is set to make her television debut in the upcoming limited series The Challenger, officially greenlit by Prime Video. This exciting new historical space thriller is a collaboration between Big Swing Productions, Amblin Television, and Nevermind Pictures. In the series, Stewart will portray astronaut and physicist Sally Ride, the first American woman to journey into space in 1978.

The official synopsis of The Challenger highlights a powerful narrative, focusing on one of the most pivotal moments in space exploration history. The show delves into the tragic events leading up to the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger disaster and the subsequent investigation by the Rogers Commission. As the commission members probe NASA’s technical and organizational failures, the series also offers a personal look at Sally Ride’s path—from her recruitment into the 1978 astronaut class, through the rigorous training and challenges she faced, to her groundbreaking achievement as the first American woman in space.

Sally Ride made history as the flight engineer aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger in 1983. She flew a second mission in 1984 and was preparing for a third before the catastrophic Challenger explosion in 1986 halted all American shuttle flights. Following the disaster, Ride contributed to the Rogers Commission, which investigated the causes of the accident. She later dedicated herself to education and public outreach, and joined the panel that examined the Space Shuttle Columbia tragedy in 2003. Ride passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2011 at age 61. Posthumously, it was revealed that she was the partner of scientist and tennis professional Tam O'Shaughnessy, making her the first known LGBTQ astronaut.

Kristen Stewart’s involvement in The Challenger marks a notable expansion of her career into television. Her recent work includes the feature directorial debut The Chronology of Water, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. This film adaptation of Lidia Yuknavitch’s memoir centers on a woman overcoming an abusive past through swimming and writing. Stewart is also co-writing the stoner comedy The Wrong Girls, directed by her wife, Dylan Meyer, who is making her own directorial debut. In the comedy, Stewart and Alia Shawkat portray weed enthusiasts entangled in a mistaken identity plot.

Additionally, Stewart will star in Quentin Dupieux’s absurdist comedy Full Phil, where she plays alongside Woody Harrelson as a father and daughter who experience a series of misadventures during a trip to Paris. She is also attached to the horror film Flesh of the Gods from director Panos Cosmatos, co-starring with Oscar Isaac as a wealthy couple drawn into a nightmarish underworld.

The Challenger is created by Maggie Cohn, known for The Staircase, who will write, executive produce, and showrun the series. James Hawes, who directed the TV movie The Challenger Disaster starring Eve Best as Sally Ride, will executive produce and direct the new series. The project’s executive producers also include Stewart, Dylan Meyer, actress Kyra Sedgwick, and author Meredith E. Bagby, whose 2023 book The New Guys serves as the source material.

While The Challenger is currently in development at Prime Video, no release date has been announced. Fans and followers of Kristen Stewart and space history enthusiasts are encouraged to stay tuned for updates on this highly anticipated series.