Corey Stoll, Kyle Chandler and Jason Clarke join Damien Chazelle's 'First Man'

By Darian Scalamoni

            Many have been awaiting news on Damien Chazelle’s (La La Land, Whiplash) next movie, First Man that will star Ryan Gosling and we have some updates on more casting news. According to multiple sources, Corey Stoll, Kyle Chandler and Jason Clarke have all joined the cast for Chazelle’s next movie based on the book of the same name written by James R. Hansen.

            The film will tell the story of NASA’s mission to land a man on the moon, mostly focusing on Neil Armstrong from 1961-1969. It’s expected to extensively showcase one of the most dangerous missions in America’s history. Gosling will star as Armstrong and Claire Foy will play his wife; while Stoll will play Buzz Aldrin, the second man who stepped foot on the moon and uttered the words “one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind” on July 21^st, 1969. Chandler will play Deke Slayton, a WWII flyer, aeronautical engineer and test pilot who was selected as one of the original NASA Mercury Seven astronauts along with Armstrong. Clarke will play Ed White, who also stepped foot on the moon first along with Armstrong.

            This casting news is terrific as all of the actors are great workers with great dramatic work and will build off of the great direction from Chazelle. He’s one of my favorite directors working today and with Oscar-winning screenwriter, Josh Singer (Spotlight, The West Wing) adapting the book, it could wind up being a major awards player next year. First Man will hit theaters on October 12^th, 2018.

            Stoll can be seen on FX’s final season of The Strain on July 16^th. He also stars in The Seagull, due out later this year with Elisabeth Moss and Saoirse Ronan. Chandler stars in the third and final season of Netflix’s Bloodline which can be seen now. He will appear in Game Night with Rachel McAdams and Jason Bateman and Godzilla: King of the Monsters, co-starring with Millie Bobby Brown and Vera Farmiga in 2018. Clarke could get involved in this year’s awards season as he stars in Dee Rees’ Mudbound which was a huge hit at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.

            How do you guys feel about Stoll, Chandler and Clarke being cast in Damien Chazelle’s next movie? Are you excited to see First Man? Sound off in the comments below.