Sean Penn, the controversial, two-time-Oscar-winning actor who first achieved notable acclaim for playing one-liner-spouting stoner Jeff Spicoli, is about to do something that he’s never done in his storied acting career: headline a television series, specifically, streaming series The First for Channel 4 and Hulu.
Penn, like an increasing amount of A-list actors, will take the television plunge in this new project, which was given a straight-to-series order by the streaming outlet back in May – a space exploration-themed story set in a near-future that will follow humanity’s first mission to colonise Mars.
Interestingly, the visionary behind the series is not one typically associated with the space/sci-fi/adventure genre. Beau Willimon, who is best known as the creator, writer and executive producer of (Hulu streaming competitor) Netflix’s smash political drama House Of Cards and the 2011 film The Ides Of March.
As Willimon expresses of Penn’s casting in a statement:
“I have such deep admiration for Sean’s immense talent and extraordinary body of work. I feel very lucky to be collaborating with an artist of his caliber.”
Penn is primarily a film actor, having earned Best Lead Actor Oscar wins for roles in 2008’s Milk and 2004’s Mystic River, as well as nominations for 2001’s I Am Sam, 1999’s Sweet And Lowdown and 1995’s Dead Man Walking. His last headlining role was in the 2015 actioner The Gunman, and he will next be seen opposite Mel Gibson and Natalie Dormer in historical dictionary-centric drama The Professor And The Madman.
The First won’t be Penn’s television first, since his earliest of roles were actually on television in low-profile 1970s-era guest spots on Little House On The Prairie and Barnaby Jones. Later in his career, he also appeared on Two And A Half Men, Friends, Ellen and The Larry Sanders Show (as himself). Moreover, Penn already has a major TV project on his docket in the HBO miniseries American Lion, in which he will play the seventh President of the United States, Andrew Jackson.
The First is a production of Willimon’s Westward Productions with partner Jordan Tappis, who will collectively own the series, which was commissioned by Hulu and Channel 4.
Production will reportedly commence before the year’s end and the premiere on both Hulu and Channel 4 is penciled in for some time in 2018.
More as we have it.