Fox 2000’s mission to conquer The Mountain Between Us and, specifically, to locate two principal leads to headline the romantic drama, has proven to be a difficult endeavour. Through time, the big-screen adaptation has witnessed stars come and go – namely Charlie Hunnam and Gone Girl‘s Rosamund Pike – but with Idris Elba attached, Fox may have finally zeroed in on an actress to scale the titular peak alongside the Beasts of No Nation star.
According to reports, it is Kate Winslet that has opened talks to join the feature film. Set to be directed by Hany Abu-Assad, The Mountain Between Us lifts inspiration from Charles Martin’s eponymous novel – Rogue One scribe Chris Weitz will adapt – about two strangers thrust into a gruelling situation when their plane crash lands. A sudden heart attack is to blame for the accident, spelling doom for the pilot and his passengers as the jet careers into the Colorado woods.
Left with little choice but to brave the elements together as they dream up a plan to survive, it’s understood Elba is on board to play the part of Ben Trace, a doctor and self-confessed climbing fanatic who helps the injured writer Ashley (Winslet) get down off the mountain will confronting relentless weather conditions. Strands of last year’s Everest course through the veins of Fox 2000’s survival pic, and we understand J. Mills Goodloe and Scott Frank penned previous treatments of the movie.
The Mountain Between Us is still in search of a production start date but with Elba and now Kate Winslet attached, expect Fox 2000 to set the wheels in motion soon.