John Hawkes (Lincoln, The Sessions) is in talks with Universal in addition to the more well-known stars. We judge that this junket of jumbo star power would lead to much joy and jubilance among fans and studio heads alike.

All jests aside, Everest is an in-development project from director Baltasar Kormakur (of the forthcoming 2 Guns, starring Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg) and writers William Nicholson (Les Miserables, Gladiator) and Justin Isbell. It recounts the true story of two climbing teams who tried to summit Mt. Everest in 1996, leading to the deaths of eight climbers in what would become the deadliest season in Mt. Everest’s history (fifteen climbers died on Everest’s slopes that year). The tragic expeditions were later chronicled in Into Thin Air by acclaimed author Jon Krakauer, who was part of the climbing team (although the movie is not adapted from his work). The shoot for the film is being planned for October in Kormakur’s home country of Iceland.

Jason Clarke (White House Down, Zero Dark Thirty) is in talks to play the leader of one of the twin expeditions, a role that Christian Bale had previously been rumored for. Jake Gyllenhaal would play the leader of the second expedition, while Josh Brolin would play a doctor who was caught out of shelter overnight (the expedition was plagued by a storm, part of the reason it turned so deadly).

There is, of course, no word on a release date yet, but if this cast is nailed down we wouldn’t be at all surprised to see this film hitting theaters in the latter third of next year.