The True Story Behind Johansson & Tatum Romcom, Fly Me To The Moon

As the romcom revival continues, Fly Me To The Moon has officially landed in cinemas, led by Hollywood stalwarts Scarlet Johansson and Channing Tatum. It whisks us back to the 1960s, with the Space Race in full swing, and surrounds NASA’s creation of a ‘back-up’, staged moon landing just in case Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins didn’t actually make it. Here’s exactly what to expect from the film – plus the weird true story underpinning it all.

Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum in “Fly Me to the Moon,” in cinemas 12 July 2024.

Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum in “Fly Me to the Moon,” in cinemas 12 July 2024.

Fly Me To The Moon: Plot, Cast & Back Story

Originally titled Project Artemis, Apple announced it was working on a Space Race film in March 2022, with a budget surpassing $100 million. Finally getting around to filming in October 2022, Fly Me To The Moon sat in post-production for a long time due to delayed distribution deals – but it’s finally in cinemas now.

What Is Fly Me To The Moon About?

Transporting us back to 1960s America, Fly Me To The Moon is set in the midst of the Space Race between Cold War rivals USA and Russia. As NASA creeps ever closer to landing a space rocket on the moon, and even getting a spaceman to take man’s first steps on the cratered surface, directors start to worry just what might happen if they don’t succeed and, God forbid, Russia does.

Enter Kelly Jones (Scarlett Johansson), a marketing specialist enlisted to fix NASA’s public image. Working closely with NASA’s director Cole Davis (Channing Tatum), sparks fly in all directions as Kelly wreaks havoc on Cole’s plans. And White House Nixon aide Moe (Woody Harrelson) deems the mission too important to fail, Kelly has a new task: staging a ‘back up’ fake moon landing.

Who Stars?

  • Scarlett Johansson as Kelly Jones
  • Channing Tatum as Cole Davis
  • Jim Rash as Lance Vespertine
  • Ray Romano as Henry Smalls
  • Woody Harrelson as Moe Berkus
  • Anna Garcia as Ruby Martin
  • Donald Elise Watkins as Stu Bryce
  • Noah Robbins as Don Harper
  • Colin Woodell as Buzz Aldrin
  • Christian Zuber as Michael Collins
  • Nick Dillenburg as Neil Armstrong
  • Christian Clemenson as Press Agent Walter
  • Gene Jones as Senator Hopp
  • Joe Chrest as Senator Vanning
  • Stephanie Kurtzuba as Jolene Vanning
  • Colin Jost as Senator Cook
  • Peter Jacobson as Chuck Meadows
  • Bill Barrett as Cole Impersonator
  • Greg Kriek as Henry Impersonator
  • Art Newkirk as General Alexei Leonov
  • Ashley Kings as Patricia Collins
  • Jonathan Orea Lopez as a beach spectator
  • Eva Pilar as a secretary
  • Corbin Flanders as Henry’s son
  • Chad Crowe
  • Will Jacobs
  • Melissa Litow
  • Lauren Revard
  • Jesse Mueller

Channing Tatum and Ray Romano in “Fly Me to the Moon,” in cinemas 12 July 2024.

Channing Tatum and Ray Romano in “Fly Me to the Moon,” in cinemas 12 July 2024.

Is It Based On A True Story?

Directed by Greg Berlanti with a story by Keenan Flynn and Bill Kirstein and a script by Rose Gilroy, some elements of Fly Me To The Moon are true, other elements are fictional, and other elements take the truth and spin it for the screen. For one, NASA naturally insists they never filmed a fake moon landing. Speaking to TIME, Bill Barry, NASA’s chief historian from 2010 to 2020, says: ‘There’s no evidence whatsoever that NASA ever faked a moonwalk.’

Of course, conspiracy theorists still maintain that people have never made it to the moon (including 10 percent of Americans), with many detractors inspired by former US naval officer Bill Kaysing’s 1976 self-published book We Never Went To The Moon: America’s Thirty Billion Dollar Swindle, published amid growing scepticism for the government, from the Vietnam War to Watergate. Arguably, Fly Me To The Moon is fuel on the fire – albeit tongue in cheek. Interestingly, the US’ competition, the Soviet Union, never questioned the legitimacy of NASA’s accomplishment.

Plus, in Fly Me To The Moon, there is a large emphasis on marketing the moon and creating partnerships with companies like Omega. It’s true that money was spent making the moon landing more appealing to the American public, who thought money would be better spent on solid ground amid the civil rights movement and the Vietnam War. Writer Rose Gilroy drew on David Meerman Scott and Richard Jurek’s book Marketing the Moon to bring this side of the story to life; the book details how NASA used product placement, magazine articles and TV ads to inspire an interest in space and the moon in Americans.

That said, NASA employees are actually not allowed to endorse products. As it says on NASA’s website, ‘as a government agency, NASA will not promote or endorse or appear to promote or endorse a commercial product, service, or activity.’ Barry adds: ‘In dealing with the public in any form, I was regularly reminded by our legal folks that giving even the appearance of an endorsement for a commercial product would get me in big trouble.’

Scarlett Johansson in “Fly Me to the Moon,” in cinemas 12 July 2024.

Scarlett Johansson in “Fly Me to the Moon,” in cinemas 12 July 2024.

Is Kelly Jones A Real Person?

Scarlett Johansson’s character Kelly Jones is not a real woman, but there was a real head of public affairs at NASA during the ‘60s: Julian Scheer. Scheer oversaw a press office style team of ex-journalists who assisted the media in covering the space programme and profiling astronauts. The run up to the moon landing in 1969, rather than plotting to film a fake moon landing, NASA’s press team were more concerned about what they would tell the world if any of the astronauts died during the mission. In fact, countless statements were carefully prepared to that effect – thankfully never used.

In Fly Me To The Moon, Kelly clashes with Channing Tatum’s NASA director character Cole Davis – setting the duo up for an enemies to lovers arc. And there really was a clash between Julian and NASA’s flight director Deke Slayton. As Gilroy tells USA Today, ‘There really was a massive argument of, “You want to put a camera on (the module)? What, are you crazy? We’re just trying to get up there”. Of course we fictionalized it, made Julian a woman and totally changed her backstory. But the heart of that existed, and those conversations did happen down at NASA.’

Channing Tatum in “Fly Me to the Moon,” in cinemas 12 July 2024.

Channing Tatum in “Fly Me to the Moon,” in cinemas 12 July 2024.

Is The Apollo 1 Story Real?

In Fly Me To The Moon, Cole is haunted by the events of Apollo 1 – a very real, tragic story in which three astronauts were killed in a cabin fire during a launch test. The story is drawn into Cole’s character, with the three astronauts close friends of Cole’s in the world of the film. ‘Cole is really an amalgamation of so many of the flight directors and people who had to deal with the grief of Apollo 1, and then continue on to try and do the impossible,’ Gilroy tells USA Today. ‘Cole the character is not real, but his grief is. Thousands of people who had jobs like that had to go into work every day, knowing they’re carrying the legacy of people they lost.’

(source: https://www.countryandtownhouse.com/culture/fly-me-to-the-moon-movie/ )

The Healing Power of DMSO

Discover the remarkable healing potential of DMSO with Amandha, as she reveals its diverse benefits in holistic health and natural therapies. The full video can be found here: 👉 https://yummy.doctor/?p=28455

In this enlightening video, Amandha Vollmer explores the fascinating world of DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide), a powerful solvent with extensive medical applications. DMSO stands out for its remarkable ability to cross bodily barriers, including the blood-brain and skin barriers, without harming tissues. Its unique properties also make it invaluable in organ transplantation, preventing cellular damage during freezing. Amandha highlights the numerous therapeutic benefits of DMSO, from acting as an anti-inflammatory and analgesic to enhancing glutathione levels in the liver, helping the body detoxify. With insights drawn from her book, “Healing with DMSO,” she discusses how this versatile substance can protect against radiation damage, improve cancer treatment outcomes, and alleviate various conditions like eczema and psoriasis. By blending DMSO with herbal remedies, Amandha has harnessed its chemistry to heal a wide array of ailments. She explains how its sulfur component strengthens cellular integrity and aids in removing waste, making it a promising tool in holistic health. Watch this video to uncover the impressive potential of DMSO and how it can be integrated into natural healing practices. To learn more about healing and safe uses of Dimethyl Sulfoxide ‘DMSO’ get your copy of Amandha’s book, “Healing with DMSO” available here: 👉 https://healingwithdmso.com/

00:05 – DMSO Availability 00:30 – The Many Qualities of DMSO 01:45 – The Research of Dr. Stanley Jacob 02:23 – ADV’s Book – Healing with DMSO 02:50 – Tinctures and Blends with DMSO 04:00 – DMSO Applications for Cancer Therapy #DMSO #HolisticHealth #NaturalHealing #AlternativeMedicine #HerbalRemedies

Joe Rogan Experience #2141 – Bart Sibrel

Bart Sibrel is a filmmaker, writer, and investigative journalist. He’s the director of the films “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Moon” and “Astronauts Gone Wild: An Investigation Into the Authenticity of the Moon Landings,” and author of the book “Moon Man: The True Story of a Filmmaker on the CIA Hit List.”

https://www.sibrel.com/

One big…lie? As NASA delays its moon landing to 2026, conspiracy theories are reignited online

It has been more than 50 years since humanity first set foot on the moon.

And ever since, conspiracy theories that the landing was faked have been rife.

While none of these theories have any grounding in reality, that hasn’t stopped them from spreading like wildfire.

Now, as NASA delays its highly anticipated return to the moon to 2026, social media has once again been flooded with claims that man has never visited our lunar satellite.

The delayed missions have even led some sceptics to claim that ‘they can’t figure out how they did it the first time’.

It has been more than 50 years since humanity first set foot on the moon. And ever since, conspiracy theories that the landing was faked have been rife. Despite appearing to be waving in the wind, the flag taken by the Apollo 11 seen here with Buzz Aldrin is held up by a metal rod and is hanging crumpled in the Moon's low gravity

It has been more than 50 years since humanity first set foot on the moon. And ever since, conspiracy theories that the landing was faked have been rife. Despite appearing to be waving in the wind, the flag taken by the Apollo 11 seen here with Buzz Aldrin is held up by a metal rod and is hanging crumpled in the Moon’s low gravity

As NASA delays its eagerly anticipated return to the moon to 2026, social media has once again been flooded with claims that man has never visited our lunar satellite

As NASA delays its eagerly anticipated return to the moon to 2026, social media has once again been flooded with claims that man has never visited our lunar satellite

The delayed missions have even led some sceptics to claim that 'they can't figure out how they did it the first time'

The delayed missions have even led some sceptics to claim that ‘they can’t figure out how they did it the first time’

'They're never going to fake another "moon landing", one user wrote. 'Artemis II or III will end in "disaster" and "human spaceflight" will be postponed indefinitely...'

‘They’re never going to fake another “moon landing”, one user wrote. ‘Artemis II or III will end in “disaster” and “human spaceflight” will be postponed indefinitely…’

Citing safety concerns, NASA announced that Artemis II, which will complete a lunar fly-by, has been delayed until September next year.

Meanwhile, Artemis III, which will once again put astronauts on the moon, won’t now take place until September 2026.

These sudden and unexpected delays have ignited a wave of conspiracy theory content on X (formerly Twitter).

One commenter wrote: ‘The way you guys are preparing to land on the moon again it seems like it’s the 1st time you are actually planning moon Trip.’

Another wrote: ‘It seems like they can’t figure out how they did it the first time.’

And another added: ‘They’re never going to fake another “moon landing”‘.

Why do people claim the moon landing is a hoax?

The moon landing hoax theory is usually traced back to a 1976 book by Bill Kaysing titled ‘We Never Went to the moon: America’s Thirty Billion Dollar Swindle’.

The book was released at a moment of low trust in the Government and spread quickly.

Theorists claim that America didn’t have the capability to land on the moon in the 1960s and so faked it to win the space race.

The ‘evidence’ generally consists of trying to find flaws in the photos of the moon landing which suggest they were staged.

The moon landing conspiracy claims that America never completed the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969.

Rather, conspiracy theorists believe that NASA faked footage in a studio here on Earth, which was broadcast to people around the world.

The motivation was allegedly the US’s desperation to win the space race, but some wilder theories claim that it was faked because the moon does not exist or is flat.

Strangely, these theories also frequently claim that the moon landing footage was directed by Stanley Kubrick who had released 2001: A Space Odyssey the previous year.

These ideas have once again resurfaced on social media following the NASA delays, with one commenter writing: ‘Nasa is a hoax, Moon landing was a hoax, Kubrick fingerprints everywhere.’

Another X user, using the name The Flat Earther, wrote: ‘It seems that NASA is now so incompetent that they are unable to stage another fake moon landing, despite having access to superior CGI’.

One X user even called the Moon landing ‘one of the biggest frauds in human history’ and shared supposed ‘behind the scenes’ footage of the Moon landing filming.

(source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-12946605/NASA-delays-moon-landing-2026-conspiracy-theories.html )

MkUltra brain washing & Moon Hoax

#AwE130, MKUltra a mind control experiment by the CIA, they had to admit in the 70’s that the project was operational in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s. The CIA destroyed almost all documentation relating to MKUltra and claimed that it was a more or less failed experiment, but was it? In this presentation I will make the connection between the Apollo moon landings and MKUltra. I will show evidence that MKUltra was a great success by convincing (brainwashing) the world (YOU), they landed a man on the moon. The introduction to Bill Kaysing’s book “We Never Went To The Moon”. A June 14, 1970, Knight Newspaper article asked 1,721 people in six different cities whether they really believed that U.S. astronauts had been to the moon and back. According to the newspaper, a significant number did not believe it. “The most common reasons given by skeptics were that the US did it to deceive the Russians and Chinese,…….” The Apollo moon landings and MKUltra you were the experiment!

Brainwashed: The echoes of MK-ULTRA | CBC News

‘Evidence’ Proves One of the Most Impactful Events in History Was a Lie

What if Neil Armstrong’s famed moon landing in 1969 was a lie – one of the biggest lies ever told? A major piece of “evidence” seems to suggest that America’s lunar conquest was a hoax. People have noticed that Neil Armstrong’s space boots do not match his footprints on the moon.

To date, Neil Armstrong’s iconic moon landing outfit is one of the most attractive treasures housed at the Smithsonian Museum. The outfit stands tall among the multitude of aviation and space artifacts in the Washington DC museum. According to the National Air and Space Museum, Armstrong’s spacesuit is a “key part” of “one of the single greatest achievements in the history of mankind.”

The suits, which are made from non-flammable material and include a liquid cooling garment, were designed to provide relative comfort for 115 hours. The white suit, which also came with gloves and attached helmets, can serve for 14 days in a pressure-free mode. But it was the boots that caught the most attention.

The soles of the boots at the Smithsonian Museum are markedly different from those of Neil Armstrong and his landing partner, Buzz Aldrin’s footprints on the moon. A photo of Armstrong’s footprint threads is horizontal and nothing like the smooth and plain soles of the boots in the museum. (source: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/evidence-proves-one-of-the-most-impactful-events-in-history-was-a-lie/ar-AA1hJyOv )

'Evidence' Proves One of the Most Impactful Events in History Was a Lie

We Never Went To The Moon – full documentary

This is the classic “We Never Went to the Moon” by Bill Kaysing, which kicked off the entire moon hoax craze of the 1970s.
Bill Kaysing was head of the technical presentation’s unit at the Rocketdyne Propulsion Field Laboratory in California from 1956 to 1963. This period encompassed the major planning for the engine and components of the Apollo project. During this time, Kaysing held security clearances with the U.S. Air Force and the Atomic Energy Commission. This is the original 1986 interview with Kaysing by Ross Marshall. It was Kaysing, right or wrong, who really brought serious questions to the Apollo Moon Program, questions that were brought to film in the 1972 James Bond film, Diamonds Are Forever.

Ex Russian Space Boss Says There’s No Proof Americans Went to the Moon in 1969

Dmitry Rogozin, the former head of Russia’s Roscosmos space agency, expressed scepticism on the validity of the US Apollo 11 mission’s 1969 Moon landing, stating he had not yet seen convincing evidence.

Rogozin claimed in a post on his Telegram channel on Sunday that he started his personal search for the truth “about ten years ago” while still employed by the Russian government. He claimed that he developed doubts about the Americans landing on the Moon after observing how rested the Apollo 11 crew appeared in comparison to the exhausted Soviet cosmonauts who had just returned from their missions.

Rogozin claimed to have asked Roscosmos for proof at the time. All he got in return was a book that detailed Soviet cosmonaut Aleksey Leonov’s conversation with American astronauts, during which they revealed to him that they had visited the Moon.

The former official said that after being named head of Roscosmos in 2018, he kept up his efforts. Rogozin, however, claims that he was not given any supporting documentation. Instead, he claimed that a number of anonymous academics harshly criticised him for damaging the “sacred cooperation with NASA.”

Another claim made by the former head of Roscosmos was that he had “received an angry phone call from a top-ranking official” who allegedly accused him of disrupting international relations.

‘Hard landing’ of moon mission Moon mission makes ‘hard landing’

In his last statement, Rogozin said that despite the enormous advancement in technology since the late 1960s, he still finds it hard to believe that the US was once able to accomplish the feat but is now unable to.

However, he asserts that he discovered that Washington had “its people in [the Russian] establishment.”

One giant ... lie? Why so many people still think the moon landings were faked | The moon | The Guardian