Sean Penn to Star in Beau Willimon Sci-Fi Series 'The First'

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Sean Penn will be making his first foray into series television thanks to a starring role in “House of Cards” creator Beau Willimon’s upcoming sci-fi drama “The First.”

The series, which will premiere on Hulu in the U.S. and Channel 4 in the U.K. and Ireland, follows the first human mission to Mars in the not-too-distant future.

The character drama focuses on the astronauts who embark on the mission but also their families, loved ones and the people participating back on Earth. It also hopes to explore the challenges that go into interplanetary colonization.

It was given a straight-to-series order on both Hulu and Channel 4.

Also Read: 'House of Cards' Creator Beau Willimon Elected President of Writers Guild of America, East

The particulars of Penn’s role are being kept under wraps.

“I have such deep admiration for Sean’s immense talent and extraordinary body of work,” Willimon said in a statement. “I feel very lucky to be collaborating with an artist of his caliber.”

Penn, a two-time Oscar winner for his performances in “Mystic River” and “Milk,” has been relatively absent from film, with credits in “The Angry Birds Movie,” a few short films and “The Gunman” since 2013. He’s since been putting his time into activism and journalism projects like interviewing El Chapo.

Also Read: How Streaming Networks Invaded the Emmys: From 'House of Cards' to 'Handmaid's Tale' (Photos)

“The First” is set to go into production this year and will debut sometime in 2018.

Willimon and Jordan Tappis, from Westward Productions, are executive producing.

Westward owns and will produce the series, which is co-financed by Hulu, Channel 4, IMG and AG Studios. IMG will handle all international rights.

Fall TV Premiere Calendar: 164 New and Returning Shows (Photos)

As the onslaught of TV premieres gets underway, it can be tough to remember what premieres when. Here's your guide to every new and returning series premiering over the next three months.
"American Horror Story: Cult" (FX)
Tuesday, Sept. 5 at 10 p.m.
FX
"You're the Worst" (FXX)
Wednesday, Sept. 6 at 10 p.m.
FXX
"Bojack Horseman" (Netflix)
Friday, Sept. 8

Netflix
"One Mississippi" (Amazon)
Friday, Sept 8
Amazon
"MTV Unplugged" (MTV)
Friday, Sept. 8 at 8 p.m.
Getty Images
"Con Man" (Syfy)
Saturday, Sept. 9 at 10 p.m.
Syfy
"The Orville" (Fox)
Sunday, Sept. 10 at 8 p.m.

Fox
"Outlander" (Starz)
Sunday, Sept. 10 at 8 p.m.

Starz
"Top of the Lake: China Girl" (SundanceTV)
Sunday, Sept. 10 at 9 p.m.
SundanceTV
"Fear the Walking Dead" (AMC)
Sunday, Sept. 10 at 9 p.m.
AMC
"The Deuce" (HBO)
Sunday, Sept. 10 at 9 p.m.
HBO
"The Mindy Project" (Hulu)
Tuesday, Sept. 12

Hulu
"South Park" (Comedy Central)
Wednesday, Sept. 13 at 10 p.m.

Comedy Central
"Broad City" (Comedy Central)
Wednesday, Sept. 13 at 10:30 p.m.
Comedy Central
"Better Things" (FX)
Thursday, Sept. 14 at 10 p.m.
FX
"American Vandal" (Netflix)
Friday, Sept. 15

Netflix
69th Primetime Emmy Awards (CBS)
Sunday, Sept. 17 at 8 p.m.

Getty Images
"The Vietnam War" (PBS)
Sunday, Sept. 17 at 8 p.m.

PBS
"Vice Principals" (HBO)
Sunday, Sept. 17 at 10:30 p.m.
HBO
"Dancing With the Stars" (ABC)
Monday, Sept. 18 at 8 p.m.
ABC
"The State" (Nat Geo)
Monday, Sept. 18 at 9 p.m.

Nat Geo
"If Loving You Is Wrong" (OWN)
Tuesday, Sept. 19 at 9 p.m.

OWN
"The Jim Jeffries Show" (Comedy Central)
Tuesday, Sept. 19 at 10:30 p.m.

Comedy Central
"Channel Zero" (Syfy)
Wednesday, Sept. 20 at 10 p.m.

Syfy
"The Good Place" (NBC)
Wednesday, Sept. 20 at 10 p.m.

NBC
"Gotham" (Fox)
Thursday, Sept. 21 at 8 p.m.

Fox
"American Beauty Star" (Lifetime)
Thursday, Sept. 21 at 10:30 p.m.
Lifetime
"Fuller House" (Netflix)
Friday, Sept. 22

Netflix
"Transparent" (Amazon)
Friday, Sept. 22

Amazon
"Star Trek: Discovery" (CBS All Access)
Sunday, Sept. 24 at 8:30 p.m.
CBS
"The Big Bang Theory" (CBS)
Monday, Sept. 25 at 8 p.m.
CBS
"Young Sheldon" (CBS)
Monday, Sept. 25 at 8:30 p.m.
CBS
"Kevin Can Wait" (CBS)
Monday, Sept. 25 at 9 p.m.
CBS
"Me, Myself & I" (CBS)
Monday, Sept. 25 at 9:30 p.m.
CBS
"Scorpion" (CBS)
Monday, Sept. 25 at 10 p.m.

CBS
"The Voice" (NBC)
Monday, Sept. 25 at 8 p.m.

NBC
"The Brave" (NBC)
Monday, Sept. 25 at 10 p.m.

NBC
"The Opposition With Jordan Klepper" (Comedy Central)
Monday, Sept. 25 at 11:30 p.m.

Comedy Central
"Lethal Weapon" (Fox)
Tuesday, Sept. 26 at 8 p.m.

Fox
"The Mick" (Fox)
Tuesday, Sept. 26 at 9 p.m.
Fox
"Brooklyn Nine-Nine" (Fox)
Tuesday, Sept. 26 at 9:30 p.m.
Fox
"NCIS" (CBS)
Tuesday, Sept. 26 at 8 p.m.

CBS
"Bull" (CBS)
Tuesday, Sept. 26 at 9 p.m.
CBS
"NCIS: New Orleans" (CBS)
Tuesday, Sept. 26 at 10 p.m.

CBS
"This Is Us" (NBC)
Tuesday, Sept. 26 at 9 p.m.

NBC
"Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders" (NBC)
Tuesday, Sept. 26 at 10 p.m.

NBC
"Terrace House: Aloha State" (Netflix)
Tuesday, Sept. 26

Netflix
"Empire" (Fox)
Wednesday, Sept. 27 at 8 p.m.

Fox
"Star" (Fox)
Wednesday, Sept. 27 at 9 p.m.

Fox
"Survivor" (CBS)
Wednesday, Sept. 27 at 8 p.m.
CBS
"SEAL Team" (CBS)
Wednesday, Sept. 27 at 9 p.m.
CBS
"Criminal Minds" (CBS)
Wednesday, Sept. 27 at 10 p.m.
CBS
"The Goldbergs" (ABC)
Wednesday, Sept. 27 at 8 p.m.

ABC
"Speechless" (ABC)
Wednesday, Sept. 27 at 8:30 p.m.

ABC
"Modern Family" (ABC)
Wednesday, Sept. 27 at 9 p.m.

ABC
"American Housewife" (ABC)
Wednesday, Sept. 27 at 9:30 p.m.

ABC
"Designated Survivor" (ABC)
Wednesday, Sept. 27 at 10 p.m.

ABC
"The Blacklist" (NBC)
Wednesday, Sept. 27 at 8 p.m.
NBC
"Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (NBC)
Wednesday, Sept. 27 at 9 p.m.
NBC
"Chicago P.D." (NBC)
Wednesday, Sept. 27 at 10 p.m.
NBC
"Liar" (SundanceTV)
Wednesday, Sept. 27 at 10 p.m.
SundanceTV
"Rosehaven" (SundanceTV)
Wednesday, Sept. 27 at 11 p.m.

SundanceTV
"Grey's Anatomy" (ABC)
Thursday, Sept. 28 at 8 p.m.

ABC
"How to Get Away With Murder" (ABC)
Thursday, Sept. 28 at 10 p.m.

ABC
"Superstore" (NBC)
Thursday, Sept. 28 at 8 p.m.

NBC
"Will & Grace" (NBC)
Thursday, Sept. 28 at 9 p.m.

NBC
"Great News" (NBC)
Thursday, Sept. 28 at 9:30 p.m.
NBC
"Chicago Fire" (NBC)
Thursday, Sept. 28 at 10 p.m.

NBC
"The President Show" (Comedy Central)
Thursday, Sept. 28 at Midnight

Comedy Central
"StartUp" (Crackle)
Thursday, Sept. 28
Crackle
"Hell's Kitchen" (Fox)
Friday, Sept. 29 at 8 p.m.
Fox
"The Exorcist" (Fox)
Friday, Sept. 29 at 9 p.m.

Fox
"MacGyver" (CBS)
Friday, Sept. 29 at 8 p.m.

CBS
"Hawaii Five-0" (CBS)
Friday, Sept. 29 at 9 p.m.

CBS
"Blue Bloods" (CBS)
Friday, Sept. 29 at 10 p.m.

CBS
"Marvel's Inhumans" (ABC)
Friday, Sept. 29 at 8 p.m.

ABC
"The Magic School Bus Rides Again" (Netflix)
Friday, Sept. 29

Netflix
"Real Rob" (Netflix)
Friday, Sept. 29

Netflix
"Big Mouth" (Netflix)
Friday, Sept. 29
Netflix
"Versailles" (Ovation)
Saturday, Sept. 30 at 10 p.m.
Ovation
"Saturday Night Live" (NBC)
Saturday, Sept. 30 at 11:30 p.m.
NBC
"Bob's Burgers" (Fox)
Sunday, Oct. 1 at 7:30 p.m.

Fox
"The Simpsons" (Fox)
Sunday, Oct. 1 at 8 p.m.

Fox
"Ghosted" (Fox)
Sunday, Oct. 1 at 8:30 p.m.

Fox
"Family Guy" (Fox)
Sunday, Oct. 1 at 9 p.m.
Fox
"The Last Man on Earth" (Fox)
Sunday, Oct. 1 at 9:30 p.m.

Fox
"Wisdom of the Crowd" (CBS)
Sunday, Oct. 1 at 8:30 p.m.

CBS
"NCIS: Los Angeles" (CBS)
Sunday, Oct. 1 at 9:30 p.m.

CBS
"The Toy Box" (ABC)
Sunday, Oct. 1 at 7 p.m.

ABC
"Shark Tank" (ABC)
Sunday, Oct. 1 at 8 p.m.
ABC
"Ten Days in the Valley" (ABC)
Sunday, Oct. 1 at 10 p.m.
ABC
"Poldark" (PBS)
Sunday, Oct. 1 at 9 p.m.

PBS
"Keeping Up With the Kardashians" (E!)
Sunday, Oct. 1 at 9 p.m.

NBCUniversal
"Curb Your Enthusiasm" (HBO)
Sunday, Oct. 1 at 10 p.m.

HBO
"Lucifer" (Fox)
Monday, Oct. 2 at 8 p.m.
Fox
"The Gifted" (Fox)
Monday, Oct. 2 at 9 p.m.

Fox
"9JKL" (CBS)
Monday, Oct. 2 at 8:30 p.m.

CBS
"TRL" (MTV)
Monday, Oct. 2

Getty Images
"The Halcyon" (Ovation)
Monday, Oct. 2 at 10 p.m.
Ovation
"The Middle (ABC)
Tuesday, Oct. 3 at 8 p.m.
ABC
"Fresh Off the Boat" (ABC)
Tuesday, Oct. 3 at 8:30 p.m.
ABC
"black-ish" (ABC)
Tuesday, Oct. 3 at 9 p.m.

ABC
"The Mayor" (ABC)
Tuesday, Oct. 3 at 9:30 p.m.

ABC
"Kevin (Probably) Saves the World" (ABC)
Tuesday, Oct. 3 at 10 p.m.

ABC
"Queen Sugar" (OWN)
Tuesday, Oct. 3 at 10 p.m.
OWN
"Scandal" (ABC)
Thursday, Oct. 5 at 9 p.m.

ABC
"Van Helsing" (Syfy)
Thursday, Oct. 5 at 9 p.m.

Syfy
"Once Upon a Time" (ABC)
Friday, Oct. 6 at 8 p.m.
ABC
"Superstition" (Syfy)
Friday, Oct. 6 at 10 p.m.

Syfy
"Suburra" (Netflix)
Friday, Oct. 6
Netflix
"America's Funniest Home Videos" (ABC)
Sunday, Oct. 8 at 8 p.m.
ABC
"Madam Secretary" (CBS)
Sunday, Oct. 8 at 10 p.m.
CBS
"The Collection" (PBS)
Sunday, Oct. 8 at 10 p.m.

PBS
"Supergirl" (The CW)
Monday, Oct. 9 at 8 p.m.

The CW
"Valor" (The CW)
Monday, Oct. 9 at 9 p.m.

The CW
"The Flash" (The CW)
Tuesday, Oct. 10 at 8 p.m.

The CW
"Legends of Tomorrow" (The CW)
Tuesday, Oct. 10 at 9 p.m.

The CW
"Riverdale" (The CW)
Wednesday, Oct. 11 at 8 p.m.

The CW
"Dynasty" (The CW)
Wednesday, Oct. 11 at 9 p.m.

The CW
"Mr. Robot" (USA)
Wednesday, Oct. 11 at 10 p.m.
USA
"The Shannara Chronicles" (Spike)
Wednesday, Oct. 11 at 10 p.m.
Spike
"Chance" (Hulu)
Wednesday, Oct. 11
Hulu
"Supernatural" (The CW)
Thursday, Oct. 12 at 8 p.m.
The CW
"Arrow" (The CW)
Thursday, Oct. 12 at 9 p.m.

The CW
"I Love You, America" (Hulu)
Thursday, Oct. 12
Getty Images
"Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" (The CW)
Friday, Oct. 13 at 8 p.m.
The CW
"Jane the Virgin" (The CW)
Friday, Oct. 13 at 9 p.m.
The CW
"Lore" (Amazon)
Friday, Oct. 13
Amazon
"Mindhunter" (Netflix)
Friday, Oct. 13
Netflix
"Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency" (BBC America)
Saturday, Oct. 14 at 9 p.m.
BBC America
"The Durrells in Corfu" (PBS)
Sunday, Oct. 15 at 8 p.m.
PBS
"Berlin Station" (Epix)
Sunday, Oct. 15 at 9 p.m.

Epix
"Good Behavior" (TNT)
Sunday, Oct. 15 at 10 p.m.

TNT
"White Famous" (Showtime)
Sunday, Oct. 15 at 10 p.m.

Showtime
"Martha & Snoop's Potluck Dinner Party" (VH1)
Monday, Oct. 16 at 10 p.m.

VH1
"Hit the Road" (Audience)
Tuesday, Oct. 17 at 10 p.m.
Getty Images
"Loudermilk" (Audience)
Tuesday, Oct. 17 at 10:30 p.m.

Audience
"Freakish" (Hulu)
Wednesday, Oct. 18

Hulu
"The Walking Dead" (AMC)
Sunday, Oct. 22 at 9 p.m.

AMC
"Graves" (Epix)
Sunday, Oct. 22 at 10 p.m.

Epix
"The Last O.G." (TBS)
Tuesday, Oct. 24 at 10 p.m.
Getty Images
"At Home With Amy Sedaris" (TruTV)
Tuesday, Oct. 24 at 10:30 p.m.
TruTV
"Drop the Mic" (TBS)
Thursday, Oct. 26 at 10 p.m.

TBS
"Blindspot" (NBC)
Friday, Oct. 27 at 8 p.m.

NBC
"Stranger Things" (Netflix)
Friday, Oct. 27

Netflix
"Major Crimes" (TNT)
Monday, Oct. 30 at 9 p.m.
TNT
"Superior Donuts" (CBS)
Monday, Oct. 30 at 9:30 p.m.

CBS
"Mom" (CBS)
Thursday, Nov. 2 at 9 p.m.

CBS
"Life in Pieces" (CBS)
Thursday, Nov. 2 at 9:30 p.m.

CBS
"S.W.A.T." (CBS)
Thursday, Nov. 2 at 10 p.m.

CBS
"Alias Grace" (Netflix)
Friday, Nov. 3
Netflix
"The Girlfriend Experience" (Starz)
Sunday, Nov. 5 at 9 p.m.
Starz
"Shameless" (Showtime)
Sunday, Nov. 5 at 9 p.m.

Showtime
"SMILF" (Showtime)
Sunday, Nov. 5 at 10 p.m.

Showtime
"The Long Road Home" (Nat Geo)
Tuesday, Nov. 7 at 9 p.m.
National Geographic
"Teachers" (TV Land)
Tuesday, Nov. 7 at 10 p.m.

TV Land
"Future Man" (Hulu)
Tuesday, Nov. 14

Hulu
"Mythbusters" (Science)
Wednesday, Nov. 15 at 9 p.m.

Science Channel
"Search Party" (TBS)
Sunday, Nov. 19 at 10 p.m.

TBS
"Marvel's Runaways" (Hulu)
Tuesday, Nov. 21

Getty Images
"Godless" (Netflix)
Wednesday, Nov. 22

Netflix
"She's Gotta Have It" (Netflix)
Thursday, Nov. 23
Netflix
"Vikings" (History)
Wednesday, Nov. 29 at 9 p.m.
History
"Happy!" (Syfy)
Wednesday, Nov. 29 at 10 p.m.
Syfy

1 of 165

TheWrap’s guide to every show premiering on broadcast, cable and streaming

As the onslaught of TV premieres gets underway, it can be tough to remember what premieres when. Here's your guide to every new and returning series premiering over the next three months.

View In Gallery

Fall TV Premiere Calendar: 164 New and Returning Shows (Photos)

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