Tybee Island’s beaches and pier are set to appear in The Challenger, the upcoming Amazon limited series starring Kristen Stewart as astronaut Sally Ride. Filming is planned for early November, with scenes at the Walter Parker Pier and Pavilion and two beach locations.
The pier and pavilion are expected to close to the public for about three hours on the day crews shoot a walking-and-talking scene. A separate sequence near the beach between 6th and 7th streets will involve a stunt performer parasailing from shore into open water, with marine safety crews supporting the shoot.
Plans near 19th Street and Chatham Avenue call for overnight work between 4 p.m. and 4 a.m., including fireworks and an ocean swimming scene. Pedestrians may be briefly held at public dune crossings while cameras are rolling.
Georgia’s Coastal Resources Division has issued a Letter of Permission for the production. The approval includes protections for dune vegetation and requires crews to remove equipment and debris after filming. Exact production dates can change with weather and scheduling.
The Challenger follows the events surrounding the 1986 space shuttle disaster and Ride’s role in the investigation that followed. Stewart plays the astronaut who became the first American woman in space. The series is being made for Prime Video.
