Mammoth Screen co-producing ITV’s expansive drama First Woman

ITV is heading to the moon in its latest drama order, with lunar thriller First Woman.

The drama is co-produced by ITV Studios’ Mammoth Screen, Alcon Television Group and ZDF Germany and is co-financed by Alcon Television Group and ITVS.

First Woman, which stars Andrea Riseborough and Ashley Walters, follows the story of Ben Reith (Walters) when he is woken in his London home to be told that his wife Claire (Riseborough) has gone missing.

The story makes global news because Claire is an astronaut, the first woman to set foot on the moon and leading the crew of the UK’s first moonbase. Her disappearance throws suspicion on her fellow astronauts and China’s rival base.

First Woman is created by Lydia Yeoman and George Oakes from his original idea.

Philip Martin (Prime Suspect, Wallander) will direct the drama, which is produced by Julia Stannard. The exec producers are Mammoth Screen founder and chief creative officer Damien Timmer, James Gandhi, Martin, Oakes and Yeoman. Mammoth Screen’s creative director Rebecca Keane has overseen the development of the series.

Alcon Television Group will co-produce the series with Broderick Johnson, Andrew Kosove, Scott Parish, Diego Piasek and Ben Roberts serving as exec producers for the US outfit.

The drama was ordered for ITV by director of drama Polly Hill, who praised the calibre of the production as “a testament to the wonderful and original scripts”.

Director Martin added: “It’s a rare thrill to find something so fresh, ambitious and emotional – and to have the chance to explore new worlds and tell such a powerful and deeply moving human drama in such an epic landscape.”

Filming is currently underway in Belfast and is supported by Northern Ireland Screen. The production team is using Studio Ulster for the series.

First Woman is produced in association with and distributed internationally by ITV Studios.

UNIT VFX will work with Mammoth Screen and Alcon, to deliver creative visual effects during production while Poli Productions creative Rob Carlisle is collaborating with Martin and production designer Gillian Devenney to create the lunar vistas.