Emma Roberts to star in Liz W. Garcia’s Space Cadet

Stampede Ventures blasts off with a new rom-com film, Space Cadet, which will start production in September. The film has landed Emma Roberts (Holidate, Madame Web) as its lead star and executive producer. Prime Video boards as the international digital distributer, with the movie set to launch exclusively on Prime Video internationally.

Liz W. Garcia (The Lifeguard) is set to direct from her original screenplay.

The film follows a Florida party girl (Roberts), who turns out to be the only hope for the NASA space program after a fluke puts her in training with other candidates who may have better resumes, but don’t have her smarts, heart, and moxie.

Greg Silverman and Jon Berg will produce on behalf of Stampede Ventures, with Stampede Ventures’ Gideon Yu and Chris Bosco as executive producers. Emma Roberts, Liz W. Garcia, and Michael Tadross are also executive producers.

“Emma’s incredible wit and comedic timing perfectly embodies the role of REX, and Liz’s rendering of this character makes the female take-over of the STEM field so uniquely relatable and fun, and we hope it inspires young women interested in the field,” said Jon Berg, President of Production at Stampede Ventures. “The space race continues to intrigue all of us globally, so we have no doubt viewers far and wide will connect with this amazing female-driven narrative.”

“We are thrilled to be working with Stampede Ventures on bringing Space Cadet to Prime Video,” said Matt Huntley, Director, Worldwide Film Licensing, Prime Video. “Now more than ever, we all find ourselves in need of fun and adventure, and this charming movie will undoubtedly bring both to Prime Video members worldwide.”

Currently, Emma Roberts is in production on Marvel’s Madame Web, the Spider-Man spin-off. Under her production banner, Belletrist TV, Roberts is producing the series Tell Me Lies based on on Carola Lovering’s novel of the same name. Previously, Roberts starred opposite Luke Bracey in Netflix’s film Holidate, directed by John Whitesell. The romantic comedy followed two strangers who are fed up with the pressures of holiday dating and make a deal to be each other’s designated “holidate” over the course of an entire year.

Liz W. Garcia wrote and directed the film One Percent More Humid for Sony, and wrote and directed The Lifeguard, starring Kristen Bell, which premiered in competition at the Sundance Film Festival. Most recently, she co-wrote Purple Hearts, starring Sofia Carson, for Netflix, was the executive producer of Katori Hall’s Starz drama P-Valley, and was also co-executive producer on the first season. Her series writing credits also include The Sinner, Wonderfalls and Dawson’s Creek.

Stampede Ventures will finance with Prime Video licensing international territories, outside of the U.S. and Japan.

CAA’s Sarah Schweitzman will be co-repping with Stampede Venture’s Chris Bosco for additional territories.