Andy Weir: CBS Orders Pilot Episode of ‘Mission Control’ From ‘The Martian’ Author

Andy Weir, the author of the bestselling novel The Martian, is reportedly working on writing a new TV show, Deadline is reporting. Per Deadline, CBS has now ordered a pilot of the show, which is called Mission Control.

On his Facebook page, Weir explained that he has been developing the pilot for Mission Control for a number of months now. Weir also said that casting for Mission Control will soon begin, and he described his commitment to scientific accuracy, saying “[Mission Control] will be no exception.”

#NASA Considers Involvement With Mission Control TV Series https://t.co/fUIJykHHfj @andyweirauthor pic.twitter.com/XfZ2PFBgRR

— NASA Watch (@NASAWatch) January 18, 2017

According to Weir, the show will set its focus upon NASA employees, with the primary characters being “flight controllers at the Mission Control Center.” Deadline also notes that the characters will also be wrestling with issues is their private lives and work careers, adding to the drama.

“…Mission Control revolves around the next generation of NASA astronauts and scientists who juggle their personal and professional lives during a critical mission with no margin for error.”

At this point, it appears that few other details are known about the upcoming project, but Weir noted that “an impressive group of behind-the-camera people” has already jumped on board. The news that Weir is developing a space-related series shouldn’t come as too big of a surprise as his passion for the subject has been well-documented.

On Weir’s biography page on his website, www.AndyWeirAuthor.com, he describes himself as a “lifelong space nerd.” The Martian was also the first novel by Weir, a software engineer-turned-novelist. The story of how Weir and his book rose to fame is a very interesting tale as well.

According to Business Insider, the story started out “as a series of self-published chapters” that Weir began putting up on his blog. Weir later self-published The Martian on Amazon and sold it for a cost of just $0.99, which is when everything started to take off for him.

“It topped Amazon’s bestselling list of science fiction. Then it debuted at the number 12 spot on The New York Times bestseller list for hardcover fiction books.”

The Martian, of course, went on to become a movie starring Matt Damon in 2015. The story focuses on Damon’s character, Mark Watney, trying to find a way to survive on Mars after being thought to be dead and left behind by his fellow astronauts. Watney must then find a way to let everyone know that he is alive and also figure out how to survive until help arrives, which is years away. The movie was a hit with audiences and currently has an 8.0 rating on IMDb,

The movie was also directed by the famed Ridley Scott, known for films such as Blade Runner, Alien, and Gladiator. The Martian also featured other well-known actors, including Sean Bean (Lord Of The Rings, Game of Thrones), Jeff Daniels (Gettysburg, The Newsroom), and Kate Mara (127 Hours, American Horror Story).

As Hollywood Reporter also pointed out, Andy Weir was featured on the National Geographic series Mars in the fall of 2016. As the Inquisitr previously reported, Mars, which came from executive producer Ron Howard, was a docu-drama that was about humans going to Mars for the first time in the year 2033. The show divided its time between interviews with real people in the present day and depicting the futuristic storyline.

Weir was one of the interviewees who offers his insights, along with others including Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson.

‘The Martian’ author Andy Weir is making a TV pilot about NASA https://t.co/CFcrhVxJTX pic.twitter.com/O7sPv1kEXE

— Popular Mechanics (@PopMech) January 18, 2017

In addition to ordering the pilot of Mission Control, CBS has also given a thumbs-up to the pilot for 9J, 9K, And 9L as well, according to Deadline. 9J, 9K, And 9L is described as a “family comedy,” which comes from real life husband and wife Mark Feuerstein and Dana Klein

Although it is important to remember the CBS has only ordered a pilot episode, it will be interesting what becomes of Weir’s latest project, Mission Control.

[Featured Image by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images]