Standing tall at an eye-watering 8,848 metres above sea level, few environments on planet Earth are as hostile to the average human as that found on Everest. With temperatures fluctuating between -20ºC and -35ºC at the summit, it’s little wonder why the famed mount attracts only the bravest of the brave. In 1996, though, an expedition went awry when two groups of explorers were caught in the throes of a relentless blizzard, and it proved to be one of the worst disasters in the mountain’s long and storied history.
Almost a decade on, that event has inspired the release of Baltasar Kormákur’s title drama, charting the real-life events of the doomed mountaineering exercise. Lifting inspiration from Jon Krakauer’s acclaimed book Into Thin Air along with a variety of interviews and records from the ’96 disaster, Kormákur’s Everest is gunning for a frighteningly realistic portrayal of the climb, and today’s clip and TV spot really drive that point home.
Stepping into the shoes of Scott Fischer is Nightcrawler star Jake Gyllenhaal, who heads up one of the two expeditions that find themselves at the mercy of mother nature after assailing Earth’s highest peak. On the other hand, the second group will be toplined by Terminator: Genisys‘ Jason Clarke.
In its journey to the big screen, Everest has filmed on location in the French Alps along with Nepal and the surrounding Himalayan area to capture the essence of the culture and ice-cold environment. Gladitor and Les Misérables scribe William Nicholson penned the screenplay, while the remainder of the cast will be rounded out by Josh Brolin, Robin Wright, Martin Henderson, Emily Watson, Michael Kelly and Thomas M. Wright.
Baltasar Kormákur will whisk moviegoers onto one of the most hostile places on earth when Everest arrives in theaters on September 18 in 2D, 3D and 3D IMAX.
Inspired by the incredible events surrounding an attempt to reach the summit of the world’s highest mountain, Everest documents the awe-inspiring journey of two different expeditions challenged beyond their limits by one of the fiercest snowstorms ever encountered by mankind. Their mettle tested by the harshest elements found on the planet, the climbers will face nearly impossible obstacles as a lifelong obsession becomes a breathtaking struggle for survival. The epic adventure stars Jason Clarke, Josh Brolin, John Hawkes, Robin Wright, Michael Kelly, Sam Worthington, Keira Knightley, Emily Watson and Jake Gyllenhaal.