The True Story Behind Jake Gyllenhaal’s ‘Everest’

If there’s one thing that audiences can’t get enough of, it’s a pulse-pounding survival thriller that will have them on the edge of their seats up until the credits roll. In 2015, Jake Gyllenhaal and Jason Clarke teamed up to star in the haunting biographical film Everest, which tells the harrowing true story of the 1996 Mount Everest disaster that tragically claimed the lives of eight climbers. The unnerving picture chronicles the survival efforts of two expedition groups as they fight to make it off the mountain after a brutal blizzard strikes, forcing them to contend with harsh and unforgiving weather conditions.

Everest became both a critical and commercial success, captivating audiences with its gripping premise and deeply haunting cinematography as well as its powerhouse performances by its stacked ensemble cast, with moviegoers being left emotionally drained by the devastating events depicted in the thriller. Let’s explore the true story behind the hit Hollywood film and take a closer look at the heartbreaking origins and outcome of the mountain climbing tragedy.

Everest

Release Date

September 18, 2015

Runtime

121minutes

Jake Gyllenhaal’s Pulse-Pounding Survival Thriller

With a decorated ensemble cast led by Jake Gyllenhaal, Josh Brolin, Jason Clarke, and Keira Knightley, the chill-inducing 2015 survival drama Everest recounts the harrowing true events surrounding the deadly 1996 Mount Everest disaster in which eight climbers tragically lost their lives while attempting to descend from the summit after being caught in a blizzard. Seasoned mountaineers Scott Fisher (Gyllenhaal) and Rob Hall (Clarke) set out on their own daring commercial expeditions to climb the highest point on Earth, with the groups joining forces to survive after a vicious snowstorm hits them during their final ascent.

The two rival mountain guides must fight to get their teams to safety, facing unfathomable odds as they endure some of the most severe weather conditions imaginable as brutal winds and frigid temperatures threaten their lives. Everest depicts the courageous and heartbreaking lengths Fisher, Hall, and their fellow resilient climbers went to in order to try and find their way off the legendary mountain and back to safety, though not all the adventurers were able to find refuge and make it back to their loved ones.

Everest premiered on September 18, 2015, grossing an impressive $203.4 million and earning a solid 73% Rotten Tomatoes score. The dizzying film is tough to watch as audiences can’t help but root for the survival of the adventurers, though their tragic fates had already been sealed as the picture movingly pays tribute to the lives and legacies of those who perished.

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The Devastating True Story Behind ‘Everest’

Universal Pictures

On May 10, 1996, four different expedition groups, including the Adventure Consultants (led by Rob Hall) and Mountain Madness (led by Scott Fischer), began a summit attempt on Mount Everest shortly after midnight and was intended to conclude by 2:00 PM, though climb delays and unforgiving weather conditions slowed down the teams and resulted in the climbers losing crucial hours. A massive, unexpected blizzard ravaged the mountain and trapped the climbers close to the summit at a high altitude, burying the fixed ropes and leaving Everest veterans Hall and Fischer struggling to assist their teams down the peak.

Plagued by severe oxygen deprivation sickness, relentless snowfall, and the abrupt illness of some of their climbers, the two expedition groups tried to endure the brutal storm but everyone became vulnerable due to a lack of oxygen supplies. The guides and Sherpas struggled with the overwhelming pressure to reach the summit and also had to contend with safety concerns and keeping their clients grounded, though communication ultimately broke down as the blizzard’s ferocity caused extreme disorientation and physical exhaustion. The groups and team members soon became separated as the harsh weather overwhelmed the expeditions.

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Despite the noble efforts of Hall and Fischer, the teams were no match for the unforgiving elements and both leaders ultimately perished on the mountain, as well as six other climbers. A satellite phone allowed a frostbitten and weak Hall to talk to his pregnant wife back in New Zealand to say goodbye, with the brave mountaineer having stayed behind with a client he refused to leave. While attempting his own ascent, Fischer became increasingly ill and fatigued and ultimately succumbed to hypothermia, becoming the sole casualty of the Mountain Madness expedition.

The 1996 Mount Everest disaster was the worst loss of life on the mountain up until that point and marked one of the deadliest seasons and tragedies in Everest’s history, garnering widespread coverage and raising ethical questions regarding the commercialization of the mountain. Among the survivors was Outside magazine journalist Jon Krakauer, who would go on to write a haunting recollection of the event for the outlet and later published the book Into Thin Air about the traumatizing experience, for which he interviewed his fellow survivors. In a 2015 interview with HuffPost Live, Krakauer expressed his profound regrets over participating in the climb and said:

“Climbing Mount Everest was the biggest mistake I’ve ever made in my life. I wish I’d never gone. I suffered for years of PTSD, and still suffer from what happened. I’m glad I wrote a book about it. But, you know, if I could go back and relive my life, I would never have climbed Everest.”

Stream Everest on Netflix.

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