Skip to main content

Netflix reveals release date and cast for Space Force

Update: Our reviewer found that Steve Carell and Greg Daniels’ new Netflix series Space Force manages to mine plenty of comedy from the strange and occasionally terrifying place where America currently finds itself. Read the full Space Force review for more.

A new Netflix show Space Force is coming to the streaming service on Friday, May 29. 

Space Force is from the same minds as comedy favorites like The Office and Parks and Recreation and stars big names like Steve Carell, Ben Schwartz, Lisa Kudrow, and more. 

Just like The Office, Space Force will be a workplace comedy — this time focusing on the employees of America’s newest military branch. The series follows Carell, who plays the four-star Gen. Mark R. Naird, as he moves his family to a remote location in Colorado to lead a team of researchers and scientists.

Friends alum Kudrow will be playing Carell’s wife. 

Steve Carrell and Ben Schwartz in Space Force
Steve Carrell and Ben Schwartz in Space Force Netflix

The cast also features John Malkovich, Diana Silvers, Tawny Newsome, Jimmy O. Yang, Noah Emmerich, Alex Sparrow, and Don Lake. 

The Office was the most-watched show on Netflix in 2018, and even though it leaves the streaming service in January 2021 to exclusively live on NBCUniversal’s Peacock, the cast and concept of Space Force could be a promising replacement. 

The idea for Space Force was initially announced in January 2019 after President Donald Trump announced a sixth branch of the military that would be tasked with protecting the U.S. and its allies in space. 

Space Force
Steve Carrell is is leading an all-star cast. Aaron Epstein/Netflix

Trump’s idea was at first met with a combination of excitement, dread, and mockery. Trump officially made the United States Space Force (USSF) a branch of the military on December 20 by signing into law the $738 billion defense bill.

It has been a year of firsts for the USSF since it officially became a branch of the military. In February, the USSF quietly conducted its first test launch of an unarmed nuclear-capable ballistic missile across the Pacific Ocean. The USSF also launched a military communications satellite into space last month, which was the first time the new military branch actually went to space. 

Editors' Recommendations

Allison Matyus
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Allison Matyus is a general news reporter at Digital Trends. She covers any and all tech news, including issues around social…
This underrated 2019 action movie is a big hit on Netflix now. Here’s why you need to watch it
Sasha Luss in Anna.

If it seems like there's an unexpected champion on top of the list of Netflix's most popular movies every week, that's because there often is. There's always at least one film that comes out of nowhere and blows away the competition from both the major studios and Netflix itself. This week, that movie is Anna, a 2019 action thriller from writer/director Luc Besson that bombed during its initial run in theaters. But when has that ever stopped Netflix users from embracing a flick?

One of the big reasons why Anna failed to connect with audiences the first time is that Lionsgate dropped Anna in theaters with little fanfare, so it wasn't surprising when people simply didn't show up to see it. Now that the film is enjoying a surge of popularity, it's time to go over the four reasons why you should watch Anna on Netflix.
It's La Femme Nikita 2.0

Read more
If you have to watch one Netflix show this April, stream this one
A man stands close to a woman in Black Sails.

The best thing about Netflix is that there's almost never a shortage of new things to watch. In the first half of April, we've already seen the premiere of prominent original series including Ripley, Parasyte: The Grey, and Good Times, as well as the arrival of Sex and the City on loan from HBO and Max. But if you have to watch only one Netflix show this April, then the one you can't miss is Black Sails.

In 2014, Starz launched Black Sails as an original series in the vein of Spartacus, as well as the short-lived Camelot. This was also a post-Game of Thrones TV landscape, and Starz wanted to make a splash of its own. Since HBO had a such death grip on the fantasy genre, Starz went ahead with a show that's both a historical epic and also a prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson's classic adventure novel Treasure Island. Even if you've never read Stevenson's book, almost everyone has heard of its most iconic character, Long John Silver. And while hedoes play a large role in Black Sails, the primary focus is on a lesser-known character from Treasure Island: Captain James Flint.

Read more
The best thrillers on Netflix right now
Willem Dafoe and Denzel Washington in Inside Man.

When it comes to thrillers on Netflix, April is apparently Denzel Washington month. Washington stars in three of our new picks for the best thrillers on Netflix, including Inside Man, Devil in a Blue Dress, and The Little Things. This is clearly a genre that plays to Washington's strengths, as he's been headlining thrillers for decades now.

The other new addition to our list this month is Body Double, a 40-year-old thriller that will hopefully be rediscovered now that it's on Netflix. If you're looking for even more thrills, then keep reading for all of the best thrillers on Netflix right now.

Read more