Everest - What We Know So Far
Looking at the news of a movie coming out called "Everest" may give you a sense of déjà vu. After all, a film with that same title came out in 2015, starring Josh Brolin, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Jason Clarke. That story chronicled the 1996 Mount Everest disaster as two expedition groups try to survive within the harsh climate of Mount Everest when they get caught in a blizzard.
The upcoming movie, also titled "Everest," follows a much different true story. The adventure film directed by Doug Liman ("Mr. & Mrs. Smith," "Edge of Tomorrow") will instead focus on a 1921 expedition to finally scale its heights before anyone else. It's a real-life account many people are probably unfamiliar with, but with Liman behind the scenes, it's bound to be an action-oriented thrill ride.
The novel "Paths of Glory" by Jeffrey Archer serves as inspiration for the script. Here's everything else you need to know before going into what's bound to be a stress-inducing film.
What's the release date for Everest?
The "Everest" finished product doesn't have a firm release date yet, but it could be a while. According to a report from Variety, production won't start until January 2022. Filming will reportedly take place in Italy and the United Kingdom, and given the nature of the project, one would assume it would take a while for the final movie to come out. Our best bet at this point is to expect a release date in 2023 at some point.
There's no word yet on whether shooting "Everest" will come before or after another highly anticipated Doug Liman project. In the summer of 2020, reports revealed how Liman planned to collaborate with Tom Cruise and Elon Musk to create a film involving shooting Cruise into space. If Liman wants to go to space for a future project, one can only imagine the kind of insane stunts that could materialize for "Everest."
Who's in the cast for Everest?
"Everest" has been a long time coming for Doug Liman. The project's been in development for nearly a decade at this point. In 2012, Deadline ran a report indicating Tom Hardy was in negotiations to portray George Mallory. It appears as though Hardy dropped out at some point, and the part will instead go to Ewan McGregor, according to the same report from Variety. Audiences could most recently see the actor in the Netflix limited series "Halston." Before he scales the heights of Mount Everest, he'll return to a galaxy far, far away as Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Disney+ series of the same name.
Other confirmed members of the cast include Mark Strong ("Cruella") and Sam Heughan ("Bloodshot"). Those two will portray Arthur Hinks and George Finch, respectively, who end up climbing the mountainside next to Mallory. It's a talented trio of actors to bring the incredible true story to life.
What's the plot of Everest?
George Mallory's legacy is an intriguing one. He was the only mountaineer to take part in the first three British expeditions to make it to the top of Mount Everest, all to no avail. His third and final trek remained shrouded in mystery for decades as he never made it back down to the bottom until a crew discovered his body in 1999. It will forever be unknown whether Mallory was capable of making it to the top of the mountain. If he did, he would've been the first person to summit the height and not Edmund Hillary in 1953.
By the sound of it, the movie will instead follow his first trek up the mountain. According to a logline published by Variety: "1921. Everest remains the very last great unconquered challenge on earth. Many have sacrificed their sanity and often their lives in the attempt to reach its fabled summit. George Mallory (McGregor) is picked by the arrogant Arthur Hinks (Strong) of the Royal Geographic Society to scale the impossible. Following the First World War, the fading British empire is desperate for a restorative victory, but for Mallory and his rival, the eccentric Aussie George Finch (Heughan), the challenge of Everest has nothing to do with patriotism, instead it is a singular test of self."
It sounds like a thrilling man vs. nature film. You won't want to miss it.