Hulu has slotted Friday, September 14 for the premiere of Beau Willimon’s straight-to-series drama The First, starring Natascha McElhone and Sean Penn. The premium streaming service also released first-look photos of the series, some of which can be seen above and below.

Written by Willimon and executive produced by Willimon and his producing partner Jordan Tappis, The First follows the first human mission to Mars, exploring the challenges of taking the first steps toward interplanetary colonization. The story focuses not only on the astronauts, but also on their families and loved ones, as well as the ground team on Earth.

“It’s a story about the human spirit,” said Willimon when the series order was announced. “About our indomitable need to reach for unknown horizons. About people working toward the greatest pioneering achievement in human history. And about the cost of that vision, the danger and sacrifice – emotional, psychological, and physical – that’s required to achieve it. How ordinary, imperfect people band together and overcome a myriad of obstacles to grasp the extraordinary.”

The series is owned and produced by Westward Productions, founded by Willimon and Tappis, and co-financed by Hulu, Channel 4 and IMG.

Hulu

Hulu

Hulu