David Farnor | On 10, Sep 2021

Sky Cinema has snapped up Doug Liman’s Everest for its growing line-up of Sky Original films.

The adventure thriller is inspired by the novel Paths of Glory from Jeffrey Archer. 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 is picked by the arrogant Arthur Hinks 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, the challenge of Everest has nothing to do with patriotism, instead it is a singular test of self.

Climbing without oxygen, to heights not even planes can reach, Mallory‘s successive attempts to make the summit sees a challenge become an all-consuming obsession. It leads him to abandon his beloved wife and three children for months on end, give up his job, and push his body to the limits of human endurance. Everest becomes a very real monster for Mallory, his 45-degree climb to the peak is an inhuman mix of vertigo and nerve-shredding tension, requiring all of his fearlessness and audacity. It takes everything from him for reasons he can barely articulate: because it’s grander than him, it’s the last empty part of the map, and as he simply puts it – “because it’s there”.

Ewan McGregor (Beauty and the Beast, Trainspotting) stars as Mallory, with Sam Heughan (SAS: Red Notice, Outlander) and Mark Strong (1917, Kingsman) co-starring as Finch and Hinks. They will be joined by Juno Temple (Maleficent, Ted Lasso) as Mallory’s wife, Ruth, who is left behind during his life-threatening attempts to scale Everest.

The film is written by Sheldon Turner and produced by Jennifer Klein together with Liman.

Julia Stuart, Director of Original Film at Sky comments: “With Doug Liman and his team at the helm and an all-star British cast including Ewan McGregor, Sam Heughan, Mark Strong and Juno Temple, Everest is a momentous title that will wow audiences.”

It will start filming in the UK and Italy in January 2022 and will be released on Sky Cinema and in cinemas across the UK and Ireland in 2023.

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