Austin Butler and Colin Farrell in Talks to Star in Danny Boyle’s ‘Antarctica’

The last film Danny Boyle directed was 2019’s “Yesterday,” a sweet but slight Beatles-themed romcom that felt like an anomaly within Boyle’s usually grim filmography.

After all, this is the man who gave us darker fare such as “28 Days Later,” “Trainspotting,” “127 Hours,” and “Slumdog Millionaire.”

Well, Boyle is back and teaming up with Searchlight Pictures to write and direct a new drama, “Antarctica”. The film, which is based on a true story, is supposed to start production in November.

Daniel Richtman is saying that Austin Butler and Colin Farrell are (were) in talks to star before the strike occurred. Negotiations will resume whenever a deal is settled with the studios.

Here’s the synopsis [via Production Weekly]:

“On December 26, 2018, American Colin O’Brady completed a 54-day expedition across Antarctica, covering over 930 miles while hauling a 400-pound sled packed with all of his food and survival gear. O’Brady faced an ungodly windchill, the threat of unseen crevasses and utter isolation.”

“In a head to head competition, O’Brady flew in the same Twin Otter aircraft with veteran polar explorer Captain Louis Rudd to ski from the Hercules Inlet to the start of the Ross Ice Shelf in a race for the record books.”

It does sound like something Boyle would tackle. A perfect fit for his filmography. Hopefully it maintains its November production date, but the clock is ticking and the actors strike doesn’t sound like it’s close to a deal.