Jason Clarke and Jake Gyllenhaal star in the 2015 blockbuster, which is now streaming on Netflix.
As such, it’s become a destination for mountaineers and thrill-seekers all over the world.
So, isEverestbased on a true story?
Jake Gyllenhaal as Scott Fischer in ‘Everest’.Credit:Jasin Boland/Universal Pictures
Are the characters played by Gyllenhaal and Clarke inspired by real people?
Read on as we answer those questions and more.
What isEverestabout?
‘Everest’.Universal
Joining him is an American journalist,Jon Krakauer(Michael Kelly).
The two groups combine, but the arrival of a full-scale blizzard impacts their path and vision.
IsEverestbased on a true story?
Jason Clarke as Rob Hall in ‘Everest’.Universal Pictures
Several climbers who survived the storm wrote memoirs about their experience on the mountain.
Universal Pictures/Courtesy Everett
ButEverestisn’t a direct adaptation of either book.
None of the books that have been written had access to these tapes, Kormakur told EW.
Josh Brolin as Beck Weathers in ‘Everest’.Universal Pictures/Courtesy Everett
They put them away and wanted to have a go at move onward with their life.
But it was also very informative because we got all the small details.
And a lot of this came through those tapes.
Michael Kelly as Jon Krakauer in ‘Everest’.Universal Pictures/Courtesy Everett
Several lines in the film, Kormakur said, are taken directly from the tapes.
He told EW that this was part of an effort to “humanize” the climbers.
“I wanted to be true and show the mistakes and failures that happened on the mountain.
Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Kelly, and Josh Brolin in ‘Everest’.Jasin Boland/Universal
This isnt about a group of people who go up a mountain and get blown off by a storm.
They were in real bad shape before the storm came in.
The storm was just the final thing that finished them off.
Jason Clarke plays Rob Hall in ‘Everest’.Universal Pictures/Courtesy Everett; Epic Adventure Archives/YouTube
When EW’s writer asked him about Krakauer’s bestseller, Kormakur was dismissive.
“Ive seen a lot of movies about writers.
Its total bull,” hetold theL.A.
Jake Gyllenhaal plays Scott Fischer in ‘Everest’.Universal Pictures; Mountain Madness Inc/YouTube
Timesfollowing the film’s release.
“Anyone who goes to that movie and wants a fact-based account should readInto Thin Air.
Who’s in theEverestmovie cast?
Josh Brolin plays Beck Weathers in ‘Everest’.Universal Pictures/courtesy Everett; Chelsea Lauren/Variety/Penske Media via Getty
Jasin Boland/Universal
By and large, theEverestcast plays real people who were on Mount Everest in May 1996.
Below, take a look at who plays who.
They met during anEverest summit attemptin the early ’90s.
John Hawkes plays Doug Hansen in ‘Everest’.Universal Pictures/Courtesy Everett; Epic Adventure Archives/YouTube
“You first meet him and you think, ‘This guy’s all business.’
And Rob would have everything organized; he’d be sort of making sure everything was going well.
His work in Ang Lee’sBrokeback Mountain(2005) scored him an Academy Award nomination.
Emily Watson plays Helen Wilton in ‘Everest’.Jasin Boland/Universal Pictures; PBS
Most recently, he appeared in Doug Liman’sRoad Housereboot (2024) and Apple TV+‘sPresumed Innocentseries(2024).
Friends described him as"larger-than-life"with an “incredibly magnetic personality.”
He received an Academy Award nomination for his performance in Gus Van Sant’sMilk(2008).
Michael Kelly plays Jon Krakauer in ‘Everest’.Universal Pictures; Thomas Cooper/Getty
And, of course,he played Thanosin the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Brolin plays Beck Weathers, a climber who was part of Hall’s expedition.
During the storm, he fell into a hypothermic coma but survived.
Sam Worthington plays Guy Cotter in ‘Everest’.Universal Pictures; PRAKASH MATHEMA/AFP via Getty
Hawkes’ Doug Hansen was a passionate climber from Washington who worked as a postal worker.
He was one of the eight who died on the expedition.
In an interview with theL.A.
‘Everest’.Universal Pictures/Courtesy Everett
He also noted that Kelly never reached out to him prior to filming.
He also starred inUnder the Banner of Heaven(2022), FX’s adaptation of another Krakauer book.
Worthington plays Guy Cotter, the now-CEO of Adventure Consultants and a survivor of the blizzard.
‘Everest’.Jasin Boland/Universal
Where wasEverestfilmed?
Instead, the base camp was constructed at Italy’s Cinecitta Studios.
“It was incredible.
Jake Gyllenhaal as Scott Fischer and Jason Clarke as Rob Hall in ‘Everest’.Universal
It all looked very real.
But it was still surrounded in green screen.”
The crew did, however, need to get real Everest footage to incorporate into the film.
Keira Knightley as Jan Arnold in ‘Everest’.Universal Pictures/Courtesy Everett
According to Havey, that was a challenge.
“You cant just take your average Hollywood crew person to the top of Everest,” he said.
I also wanted some guide friends that could do stunt double work.”
Jake Gyllenhaal as Scott Fischer in ‘Everest’.Universal Pictures
What did EW say aboutEverest?
His review reads, “Maybe thats the point that Mother Nature doesnt discriminate.
But I doubt it.
Plus, it shouldnt be.
When the lights come up, you dont want to feel like youve watched a betterCliffhanger.
You want to understand the tragedy youve just watched.
Read EW’s full B- review here.
Where can I watchEverest?
Everestis currentlystreaming on Netflix.
you might also rent or buy it viaAmazon Prime.
