Damien Chazelle’s First Man will be more of an action thriller than a biopic

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Humans have been traveling into space for decades, but that doesn't make the whole procedure any less terrifying, and Damien Chazelle's upcoming FIRST MAN, which follows astronaut Neil Armstrong on his quest to become the first person to walk on the Moon, is aiming to make us feel every single terrifying thrill of that journey. FIRST MAN co-writer Josh Singer recently spoke with the Boston Globe and insisted that the film will not be a biopic, but rather an action film, which is precisely what Damien Chazelle wanted.

Damien had a very clear vision from the outset. He said, ‘Can we get across how challenging this was? Can we get across the visceral nature of this?’ The space program has been depicted, tonally, on the softer side in the past. Damien said, ‘I want to be terrified the entire time.’ It’s one of the earliest things we talked about. Neil’s heroism isn’t because he landed on the moon, it’s because he had the wherewithal to live through it all.

Josh Singer added that audiences will likely learn a few things about NASA that they didn't know before, and that they certainly won't be bored while doing so. "This is 100 percent a mission movie. It’s about going to the moon as seen through the eyes of the guy who got there," Singer said. "We have at least five major set pieces that are action, and if your heart rate doesn’t go through the roof, if you’re not gripping the edge of your seat the entire times, I’ll be shocked." Sounds good to me. I'll be sure to bring an extra change of pants. FIRST MAN stars Ryan Gosling as Neil Armstrong, Claire Foy as Janet Shearon, Armstrong's first wife, Corey Stoll as Buzz Aldrin, Kyle Chandler as Deke Slayton, and Jason Clarke as Ed White.

FIRST MAN will hit theaters on October 12, 2018.