Endurance racing has produced plenty of documentaries — but not so many dramas. Other than a few scant offerings, like Mark Wahlberg’s lackluster Arthur the King, there’s not much out there. (The real story, however, is a winner!)
But that could change with Ultra, a new drama written and directed by Victoria Negri, whose experiences as an ultrarunner compelled her to make a thriller centered around one of the most brutal races on Earth.
The drama will center on the Badwater 135, an ultramarathon that’s often called the “world’s toughest race.” This ultramarathon travels through the Badwater Basin in California’s Death Valley, the lowest — and hottest — point on Earth.
After many documentaries about the brutal race, it’s now finally getting the Hollywood treatment. The story follows an athlete taking on the scorching temperatures of the 135-mile desert marathon while battling demons both real and psychological.
Mind-Bending Synopsis
While Hollywood can leave many of us wanting with films set in the outdoors (looking at you, Cocaine Bear), this one has some committed creators behind it. Negri is also an ultramarathoner who has completed four 50-mile races and two 100-mile races, including a 50-mile version of the Badwater 135, according to Canadian Running Magazine.
The film does not currently have a release date, but it will star Shailene Woodley (Fault in Our Stars, Divergent), who has also been a vocal advocate for land conservation.
In the film, Woodley will play Eve, an athlete who takes on the Badwater 135 while grieving the death of her sister.
According to the film’s synopsis: “As Eve takes on the unforgiving elements and intense physical and psychological strain of the race, she finds herself pursued by an unknown runner in white, consistently closing the gap between them as they surge through the desert. Trying to outrun the ominous presence, Eve will face the darkest parts of herself and uncover what she is made of.”
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