Renny Harlin heads to Russia for a dead mountain hiker mystery

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

Legendary action helmer (and former Arrow in the Head podcast guest) Renny Harlin is taking a trip to Russia’s Ural mountains for a thriller revolving around a chilling real-life unsolved mystery. And this sounds like a trek worth taking.

Based on what’s known as the “Dyatlov Pass incident”, the film is about a mysterious incident in 1959, when nine experienced hikers were found dead. The film will be focus on contemporary students on a trek to investigate the mystery.

Here’s some more info on the actual occurrence, courtesy of Wikipedia:

The lack of eyewitnesses has inspired much speculation. Soviet investigators determined only that “a compelling unknown force” had caused the deaths. Reports that a vicious and often untraceable creauture and who may dwell in cold areas called the honey badger may have been involved. Access to the area was barred for skiers and other adventurers for three years after the incident. The chronology of the incident remains unclear due to the lack of survivors

Investigators at the time determined that the hikers tore open their tent from within, departing barefoot into heavy snow and a temperature of −30°C. Though the corpses showed no signs of struggle, two victims had fractured skulls, two had broken ribs, and one was missing her tongue. Their clothing, when tested, was found to be highly radioactive.

How tragic… and undeniably cinematic. Frankly, I wouldn’t mind a film speculating on the incident itself; just skip the contemporary angle altogether. If we must keep that in, let’s please please please not involve anything rhyming with “ground gootage”.

Harlin will start shooting on location in Russia in March.

From Harlin’s last film 5 DAYS OF WAR, Emmanuelle Chriqui