We’ve been proven wrong. It’s not too soon for a movie about the 9/11 tragedies. And if it’s not too soon for a movie about that tragedy, then I guess everyone should be okay with a movie about the tragedy of the mid-80’s, the explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger: a disaster that only took the lives of seven people, but stunned a nation.
Media 8 announced in a press release that they will co-produce Challenger, written by Nicole Perlman and directed by Philip Kaufman (The Right Stuff). The film will star Oscar nominee David Strathairn (Good Night, and Good Luck) as Nobel Laureate Richard Feynman who took part in the investigation of the Challenger disaster. From the press release: An investigative drama in the vein of “The Insider,” “Challenger” examines the role that Feynman played in the investigation into the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger. Motivated in part by his uneasy conscience due to his participation in the Manhattan Project, Feynman is determined to ensure that there will be no institutional cover-up of the negligence that led to the tragedy. “Challenger” uses the investigation as an opportunity to humanize the famously eccentric physicist.
I’m excited to hear about this coming from Kaufman, who created what is arguably the best movie about the space program and especially involving Strathain who really proved himself with last year’s Good Night. However it’s a bit sad to see that the shuttle disaster will only be a framework piece for the movie, much like last year’s Munich used the Olympic hostage situation as a catalyst for the events of the film. The shuttle disaster remains one of those moments that will haunt my memories forever, and it would be nice to see a film that really pays tribute to those Americans we lost that day.
Thanks to filmstalker for the tip.
