Doug Liman’s ‘Everest’ Adds Juno Temple, Scores Global Deals for HanWay Films

“Ted Lasso” star Juno Temple has joined the cast of Doug Liman’s action-adventure thriller “Everest.” The movie has also struck a number of global pre-sales for HanWay Films.

Temple will play mountaineer George Mallory’s wife, Ruth, who is left behind to handle their life during his life-threatening attempts to scale the mountain. The actor has joined cast members Ewan McGregor, who plays Mallory, alongside Sam Heughan and Mark Strong.

The movie, which launched at the pre-Cannes virtual market in June, will be released theatrically in all territories. It has so far sold into Sky Cinema (U.K.), SND (France), Wild Bunch (Germany, Switzerland), Notorious (Italy, Spain), Belga (Benelux), Nordisk (Scandinavia), NOS (Portugal), Madman (Australia, NZ), IDC (Latin America), Elevation (Canada), Paradise (CIS/Baltics), Monolith (Poland), ProRom (Central and Eastern Europe), FrontRow (Middle East), Forum (Israel), Gravel Road (South Africa), Medialink (Hong Kong), PVR (Indian subcontinent), Falcon (Indonesia), Shaw (Singapore), Joy n Cinema (South Korea), Cai Chang (Taiwan) and Echo Lake (Airlines).

Set in 1921, the movie looks back at a period when Everest remained the last great unconquered challenge on Earth. George Mallory (McGregor) is selected by the arrogant Arthur Hinks (Strong) of the Royal Geographic Society to scale the mountain, going up against the eccentric Aussie George Finch (Heughan) in a test of both patriotism and physical endurance.

“Everest” is written by Oscar-nominated screenwriter Sheldon Turner and inspired by novel “Paths of Glory” by English author Jeffrey Archer. The film is produced by Jennifer Klein with Liman. It will start shooting in the U.K. and Italy in January 2022.

In addition to starring in hit Apple TV Plus show “Ted Lasso,” Temple is also in production on Paramount Plus limited event series “The Offer,” about the making of “The Godfather,” alongside Miles Teller.

Peter Watson, vice chairman of Hanway Films and CEO of Recorded Picture Company, said: “At a critical moment for cinema, ‘Everest’ has galvanized and inspired leading independent distributors to step up to support a studio-scale project destined for theaters worldwide: an endorsement of the indie model.”

HanWay Films is handling international sales and distribution while UTA Independent Film Group is overseeing the U.S. sale of the movie.

Temple is represented by UTA, B-Side in the U.K. and Lichter Grossman Nichols.

McGregor is represented by UTA, Narrative and Sloane Offer Weber & Dern; Heughan is represented by UTA, United Agents, Viewpoint and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren, Richman, Rush, Kaller & Gellman. Strong is represented by WME. Archer is represented by Joel Gotler and Robert Benun.

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