Nichelle Nichols NASA Documentary ‘Woman In Motion’ Gets North American Distribution Deal

Andreas Wiseman
·3 min read

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EXCLUSIVE: Shout! Studios has acquired all North American rights to doc feature Woman In Motion, about how Star Trek actress Nichelle Nichols helped pioneer the NASA recruiting program to hire people of color and the first female astronauts for the space agency in the late 1970s and 1980s.

The film also chronicles Nichols’ rise to fame and portrayal of Uhura on Star Trek, which marked one of the first leading roles for an African-American actress in a mainstream TV series. You can check out the engaging first trailer for the movie here.

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Directed by Todd Thompson (The Highwaymen), the film features actors, activists, scientists and astronauts including Nichols, Neil deGrasse Tyson, George Takei, Pharrell Williams, Martin Luther King III, Al Sharpton, Vivica A. Fox, Walter Koenig, Rod Roddenberry, Michael Dorn, Guy Bluford, Charles Bolden, Ivor Dawson, Frederik Gregory and Benjamin Crump.

The film was produced by Thompson along with his Stars North partners Tim Franta and David Teek, with Nichelle Nichols as a co-producer and Benjamin Crump and Greg Galloway as executive producers. Writers are Joe Millin, John McCall and Benjamin Crump. Curated By Media packaged the film and Ben Crump is executive producer for Brooklyn Media. Concourse Media handles sales.

Shout! Studios is planning to launch the movie in 2021. The deal was negotiated by Shout’s Jordan Fields and Steven Katz, Vice President of Business Affairs, and Concourse Media CEO Matthew Shreder on behalf of the filmmakers.

“This is a great American story with incredible global impact,” said Thompson. “Nichelle Nichols strived to create a brighter future for us all by proclaiming that space exploration is for everyone. It’s a simple but very strong statement that opens doors and allows all humankind to boldly go.”

“Nichelle Nichols not only was a trailblazer in Hollywood, she was a trailblazer for the future of our society,” added Ben Crump. “She took the fight for Civil Rights, diversity and inclusion and gender equality to new frontiers with NASA which continue to serve America’s space program today. She was ahead of her time.”

“With America in what is hopefully a transformational moment, there couldn’t be a better time for this joyous and deeply emotional celebration of the remarkable Nichelle Nichols and her work to bring diversity to our space program. This wonderful film will continue Nichelle’s mission by inspiring all children to reach for the stars, whatever those stars may be,” commented Jordan Fields, Vice President of Acquisitions at Shout! Studios.

Todd Thompson and Benjamin Crump are represented by Curated By Media.

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