Insert The Dark Knight Rises rivalry joke here. I cannot do it because it’s too early in the morning. But that is the joke that’s being passed around the interwebs, as it has been announced that both Tom Hardy and Christian Bale are working on Everest – which, by the way, is the title of two different films.
Tom Hardy was there first, signing up for Everest with director Doug Liman. The film is about George Mallory, the first man to attempt to reach the peak of that fabled mountain that everyone and their grandma now climbs. Bale, not to be outdone, has set up another film called Everest with Working Title Films and director Baltasar Kormakur (Contraband).
Bale’s movie, though, will focus on a 1996 expedition that ran into a storm, causing the deaths of eight explorers. It’s the same story that Jon Krakauer’s book Into Thin Air focused on, although the film will not be based solely on Krakauer’s work. Nor do we yet know what role Bale will be taking on. So we know very little except Bane and Batman are duking it out yet again.
The question is: who will reach the peak first? Bale is about to begin shooting David O. Russell’s newest, then has Transcendence and Creed Of Violence likely up after that. It may be awhile before he gets around to climbing a mountain. Hardy, meanwhile, has a whole slew of movies in pre- and post-production, and Liman will not be available until 2014. It’s a very slow race to the top, it appears.
Who do I want to see climb Everest? Tom Hardy, when all is said and done, but I’m prejudiced against Christian Bale for no apparent reason. However, Hardy’s project sounds more interesting, set as it is at a time when Everest really did seem insurmountable. Most of us know the story of 1996 expedition thanks to Into Thin Air, but I honestly do not know anything about Mallory. But it’s all up to the fates who we get to see first.
Which Everest would you rather see? Hardy? Bale? No one? Let us know in the comments below.