Electronics giant Apple has secured film rights to the story of legendary mountaineer Tenzing Norgay.
Tenzing, starring Willem Dafoe and Tom Hiddleston, will belong to the California company’s film production arm, Apple Original Films, according to Variety. Hiddleston (best known as Loki in Marvel’s The Avengers) will star as Sir Edmund Hillary with Dafoe (Poor Things, Eternity’s Gate) as expedition leader John Hunt.
Tom Hiddleston and Willem Dafoe to star in Jennifer Peedom’s ‘TENZING’ for Apple.
Following the life of Sherpa Tenzing Norgay and his summit of Mount Everest in 1953.
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Casting for the film’s namesake, Tenzing Norgay, is in progress. Norgay’s son, Norbu Tenzing, will act as one of several executive producers alongside director Jennifer Peedom.
It’s familiar storytelling territory for Peedom, who previously worked on the documentary Sherpa. According to film industry outlet The Wrap, her work with the Norgay family on that film engendered a close relationship which led to the new project.
It’s one of several collaborations in which Tenzing marks another installment. The film will be Dafoe and Peedom’s third venture together, after 2017’s Mountain and 2021’s River. Also, Apple continues its ongoing work with production company See-Saw — the producer for all five seasons of the show Slow Horses.
