Washington [US], April 18 : Apple has doubled down on its commitment to 'For All Mankind,' with the iphone maker and streamer renewing its alt-universe space race drama for a fifth season and ordering a spinoff titled 'Star City,' which delves into the Soviet space program.
'Star City' will be co-created by Ron Moore, Matt Wolpert, and Ben Nedivi, the same team behind the flagship series. It will explore the Soviet side of the space race, focusing on the lives of cosmonauts, engineers, and intelligence officers working in the Soviet space program, as per The Hollywood Reporter.
Wolpert and Nedivi, executive producers of both series, expressed their excitement about delving into the "secret city in the forests outside Moscow" where Soviet cosmonauts and engineers lived and worked.
'Star City' is described as a "propulsive paranoid thriller" that revisits the moment when the Soviet Union achieved the milestone of putting a man on the moon.
The series promises to uncover the risks taken by those involved in the Soviet space program.
While Moore stepped back from show-running duties on 'For All Mankind' in 2021, he remains involved as an executive producer alongside Wolpert and Nedivi, among others, according to The Hollywood Reporter
Matt Cherniss, head of programming at Apple TV+, praised the storytelling of 'For All Mankind' and expressed anticipation for the new chapter in the series' universe.
'For All Mankind' has been a critical success since its launch in 2019, with a strong reception from both critics and viewers. Its renewal and the announcement of the spinoff come amidst Apple's broader strategy to expand its original content offerings.
The move to explore the Soviet side of the space race comes at a time when the TV marketplace is experiencing a slowdown, with companies reassessing their programming strategies, as per The Hollywood Reporter.
However, proven titles like 'For All Mankind' remain a significant draw for audiences.