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Apple TV Premieres 'Ciudad de las Estrellas,' a Soviet‑Side Spin‑Off of Para Toda la Humanidad

The eight-episode thriller reframes the Cold War space race from a secretive Soviet program, highlighting state surveillance as it asserts that early Soviet achievements have been downplayed.

Overview

  • Apple TV premiered the eight-episode series on May 29, 2026, releasing the spin-off as a late‑May streaming debut.
  • Creators Ben Nedivi and Matt Wolpert developed the show after researching the Soviet space program while working on Para toda la humanidad, and they chose a spy‑thriller format to tell that story.
  • The drama is set in a closed military complex nicknamed the 'City of the Stars,' where constant monitoring, intimidation of participants and dangerous missions create a pervasive atmosphere of paranoia.
  • Rhys Ifans stars as the Chief Designer, and the cast includes Agnes O’Casey, Alice Englert and Anna Maxwell Martin in roles that show how state scrutiny shaped cosmonauts and engineers.
  • Press coverage frames the series as a deliberate reframing of the space race that spotlights Soviet 'firsts' such as the first man, first woman and first spacewalk while positioning the show for thriller audiences.