Keira Knightley Nabs A Wife Role In Kormákur's "Everest"

Keira Knightley has  joined the cast of the mountain climbing disaster film "Everest" says Variety.

Baltasar Kormákur is calling action on the film which is based the 1996 Mount Everest disaster. Three different expeditions were hit by a sudden blinding storm and by the time it was all over, eight climbers died.

The story was chronicled in author Jon Krakauer’s non-fiction book "Into Thin Air". The film will use a wider range of sources including several books and eyewitness interviews.

Knightley portrays Jan Arnold, the wife of Clarke's character.

Micah Hauptman ("Parker," "Silver Skies") will play filmmaker and mountaineer David Breashears director of the 1998 IMAX documentary "Everest".

John Hawkes, Josh Brolin, Jason Clarke, Vikings cast member Clive Standen Martin Henderson Jake Gyllenhaal Sam Worthington and Robin Wright also star. Christian Bale was in early talks to star but moved on

Lem Dobbs, Justin Isbell and William Nicholson wrote the adapted script that will also be drawn from supplementary sources including other books and new interviews with the survivors.

Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner, Liza Chasin, and Evan Hayes will produce the pic--while Randall Emmett and George Furla likely coming on board as co-financiers and producers.

 Production is underway in Nepal ahead of location shooting in Rome and in the U.K.

Universal Pictures will release the film in North American theaters in 3D and IMAX 3D on September 18th 2015--The film was originally set to open February 27, 2015.

The project is not to be confused with the biopic Everest that is an adaptation of author Jeffrey Archer non-fiction book Paths of Glory, which chronicles explorer George Mallory's (Tom Hardy) ascent into the record books as the first man to reach the top of Mount Everest.

The drama will center on his obsession with the mountain, and his rivalry with fellow climber George Finch. Mallory and his climbing partner Andrew "Sandy" Irvine failed in two previous attempts in 1921 and 1922. They were spotted near the summit on their third attempt in 1924, before they disappeared. Their remains were discovered in 1999 by Conrad Anker.

Sheldon Turner wrote the adapted screenplay from which Doug Liman will direct.

Jennifer Klein and David Bartis are producing this feature.