Adolescence director is filming Shackleton's impossible rescue for Netflix

A ship that couldn't complete its course, 28 people stranded in the ice for months, and a small lifeboat sent out to find help in the open sea… Netflix is preparing to turn Ernest Shackleton's Endurance expedition into a large-scale survival film.

The yet-to-be-titled production will be directed by Phil Barantini, who has become one of Netflix's standout names with Adolescence. Filming is expected to begin in 2027, but it is still unclear who will portray Shackleton.

Turned into a struggle for survival before the expedition could begin

Shackleton aimed to be the first team to cross the Antarctic continent from one coast to the other with the Endurance ship in 1914. The ship became trapped in the ice of the Weddell Sea before reaching the continent and broke apart under pressure after months of drifting.

The expedition's goal vanished at that moment. Shackleton's mission was no longer to cross the continent but to bring his crew home, who had no means of communicating with the outside world. After spending five months on the ice, the team managed to reach the deserted Elephant Island with three lifeboats.

Shackleton embarked on a 1450-kilometer journey for help

Elephant Island was not suitable for living for a long time, and there were no regular ships passing nearby. Shackleton set out for South Georgia with five men aboard a lifeboat named James Caird, which was about seven meters long.

The six-member crew completed the approximately 1450-kilometer sea journey under harsh weather conditions. Since they reached the uninhabited side of the island, Shackleton, Frank Worsley, and Tom Crean later crossed uncharted mountains to reach the Stromness whaling station.

The crew left behind on Elephant Island was rescued on August 30, 1916, after several failed attempts. All 28 people on the Endurance survived.

The writer of The Revenant prepared the script

The script has been entrusted to Mark L. Smith, one of the writers of The Revenant, which centers on the struggle against nature, and the disaster film Twisters. Smith's text will focus not so much on the historical significance of the expedition but on the rescue operation that began after the loss of the ship.

The production team includes Cliff Roberts, Mark L. Smith, Michael Pruss, Joey McFarland, Brian Oliver, Samantha Beddoe, Phil Barantini, and Ridley Scott.

Barantini's involvement in the project is also a continuation of his collaboration with Netflix. After Adolescence, the director is shooting a series called Rabbit, Rabbit for the platform, starring Adam Driver and Regina Hall. In the thriller series, which began production in New Jersey, Driver portrays an escaped convict who takes people hostage at a truck stop.

Netflix is preparing a dramatic film this time, not a documentary

Shackleton's story has previously been the subject of various documentaries. The Netflix catalog also includes the 2000 documentary The Endurance, narrated by Liam Neeson. However, the new project is not another examination based on archival footage; it will be a dramatic feature film with a cast and large-scale production.

The strongest aspect of the story for cinema is not the collapse of the exploration plan but what happened afterward. Shackleton couldn't cross the continent, but he didn't lose a single member of his crew, who lived for months on the ice, crossed the open sea with lifeboats, and lost contact with the outside world.

Netflix has not yet announced the film's cast, official title, or release date. Production is planned to begin in 2027.