After receiving a bit of a delay last week, Universal has added two more exciting names to Baltasar Kormakur’s upcoming Everest. Joining a cast that already boasts Josh Brolin, John Hawkes and Jake Gyllenhaal, among others, are Sam Worthington and Robin Wright. Detailing the true story of a 1996 attempt to scale the titular summit that ended in disaster, the film is set for a September 18th, 2015 release date.
Currently shooting in Nepal, Everest is one of two competing films that Hollywood is churning out about the famous mountain. The other one is set up at Sony, with Doug Liman directing and Benedict Cumberbatch attached to star. That film is still in pre-production though and hasn’t been fully cast yet, so it’s likely that we’ll be seeing Universal’s version first.
According to Deadline, Worthington will play Guy Cotter and Wright take on the role of Beck Weather’s wife, Peach. For those who don’t know, Cotter is a “leading NZ Everest expedition expert” and Weather was one of the men that nearly died during the climb. In fact, he was left for dead but “recovered enough to walk alone and unassisted to nearby Camp IV.”
With a compelling story and an all-star cast, Everest looks like a surefire awards contender, especially now that it’s dropping in September. Worthington and Wright are both excellent additions to an already very impressive line-up and while I’m still not totally sold on Mr. Kormakur, having not particularly loved films like 2 Guns or Contraband, I’m still quite optimistic that Everest will be a gripping and riveting experience that will have us hanging on for dear life.
