TV The First preview: See photos from the Beau Willimon Hulu series starring Sean Penn By Dana Schwartz Dana Schwartz Dana Schwartz is a former correspondent at Entertainment Weekly. She left EW in 2019. EW's editorial guidelines Published on July 16, 2018 03:37PM EDT Photo: Paul Schrimaldi/Hulu Launching in 3… 2… 1… House of Cards creator Beau Willimon is returning to television with The First, a drama set in the near future and centers on the first human mission to Mars. Natascha McElhone and Sean Penn star in the series, and now we have our first look at the actors with newly released photos from the series, which will focus not only on the human challenges of interplanetary colonization but also on the mission’s ground team and the astronauts’ loved ones back on Earth. “I have such deep admiration for Sean’s immense talent and extraordinary body of work,” Willimon said in a statement back when Penn was cast. “I feel very lucky to be collaborating with an artist of his caliber.” Paul Schrimaldi/Hulu Paul Schrimaldi/Hulu Paul Schrimaldi/Hulu Paul Schrimaldi/Hulu Lisa Gay Hamilton, James Ranson, and Melissa George also star. Willimon has had a busy year: He also wrote the screenplay for Mary Queen of Scots, starring Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie, adapted from the book by John Guy, out December 7. The First launches Sept. 14 on Hulu.