Actor Ansel Elgort, known for his emotional performance in The Fault in Our Stars and his musical role in West Side Story, is set to star in an upcoming film called Faster Than Horses. 

Faster Than Horses is an intense survival thriller about a former Olympic runner who embarks on a journey to comeback in the challenging race, Marathon des Sables. This race is across the vast, unforgiving Sahara Desert. When a powerful sandstorm hits, he gets stranded and must fight to survive for 10 days. His goal shifts from winning the race to simply staying alive.

The film will be directed by Emmy-nominated James Erskine. The film’s production is led by Bear Grylls, a survival expert.

Currently in pre-production, Faster Than Horses is getting ready for its debut to international buyers at the American Film Market (AFM) in Las Vegas. This kicked off on November 5. Upgrade is managing international sales, while CAA Media Finance is overseeing North American rights.

The film is inspired by a true story. It is based on an article written by the American historian, author, and journalist, Hampton Sides. It follows a former Olympic runner striving for a comeback in the grueling Marathon des Sables, a multi-day race through the Sahara Desert. When a powerful sandstorm hits, the athlete is left stranded in the vast desert, fighting for survival over 10 days.

The Sahara Desert is the world’s largest hot desert and it spans 9.2 million square kilometers across North Africa. It is known for its extreme heat and it experiences dramatic temperature shifts. It is most definitely one of the harshest environments on Earth. There are expectations to see how Elgort will portray this character.

The screenplay was co-written by Michael Mul and Chris Mul, along with Erskine himself.

We are waiting to hear more about this upcoming film.