Until the avalanche last year and the earthquake in 2015, it was the deadliest day in Mount Everest’s history.

Between 10th and 11th of May 1996 eight people perished on the world’s highest mountain.

Were people left for dead by fellow climbers? Could more have been saved?

Were people left for dead by fellow climbers? Could more have been saved? How was it that two separate exhibition leaders, with years of Everest experience between them, both died in the blizzard?

The reality of what happened in the fateful storm has been debated in a series of books by the survivors with claims and counter-claims flying backwards and forwards – including some pretty vicious allegations of negligence.

Now the most famous of those books, Into Thin Air, by the Outside Magazine writer Jon Krakauer, is being given the full Hollywood treatment.

The trailer for the film, Everest, was released yesterday. And with a star-studded cast including Josh Brolin, Keira Knightley, Jake Gyllenhaal and Emily Watson, it looks like it’s going to be one hell of a movie.

This being Hollywood of course there’s the danger that they might turn this into a simple morality tale, with clear cut goodies and baddies. We hope not because what actually happened on the mountain that day is far more morally ambiguous.

But either way, the tragedy makes for a seriously powerful story, and we’ll definitely be watching the movie come the autumn.

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