Danny Boyle Eyes ‘Antarctica’ as Next Film — Austin Butler and Colin Farrell Still Attached?

Danny Boyle took a lengthy break after “Yesterday,” a sweet but slight Beatles-themed romcom that felt like an anomaly within Boyle’s usually grim filmography. He finally returned in 2025 with “28 Years Later,” and “Ink” is coming later this fall — both with strong reviews.

It does look as though Boyle will motor on. A few years ago, I reported on a project he had set up at Searchlight Pictures, “Antarctica,” based on a true story — and now he finally seems ready to make it.

In an interview with IndieWire, when asked what he is tackling next, Boyle specifically mentions “Antarctica” as his possible next film. He completely ignores the “28 Years Later” sequel that he’s been planning to make; no doubt the underperformance of “The Bone Temple” has probably slowed that project down.

So what is “Antarctica” about? My sources at the time mentioned that it was based on American Colin O’Brady, who, on December 26, 2018, completed a 54-day, 930-mile solo crossing of Antarctica, hauling a 400-pound sled of food and survival gear. He battled brutal windchill, hidden crevasses, and extreme isolation. He was racing veteran polar explorer Captain Louis Rudd, who actually finished the trek two and a half days after O’Brady. They became the only two people to have crossed Antarctica alone, unsupported and unaided.

The project was gaining steam in 2023, and then the WGA strikes hit, which deflated the entire thing. At the time, Austin Butler and Colin Farrell were in talks to star as the film’s two leads. Three years later, I’m not really sure whether they are still attached.

Boyle’s interest in this project makes sense — he loves survivalist tales, and it’s not just “28 Days Later,” but more specifically “127 Hours,” which was itself based on a true story. His other films include “Trainspotting,” “Slumdog Millionaire,” and “Shallow Grave.”