Netflix is heading into monster territory with a survival thriller that sounds like it could be a brutal fight for survival in the frozen wild.
Director Michael Chaves, known for his work in the The Conjuring universe, has lined up Chris Pine to lead a new film titled Yeti, and the story sounds like it will deliver a mix of creature horror and survival drama.
The Netflix project is assembling an impressive cast that also includes Iona Bell, Ray Winstone, and Sofia Boutella, setting the stage for a tense adventure set high in the snow-covered Alps.
The story drops viewers deep into the mountains where a catastrophic avalanche awakens something ancient that had been buried beneath the ice.
With rescue impossible, a father played by Pine and his daughter played by Bell are forced into a desperate fight for their lives against a relentless predator that can disappear into the snow around them.
It’s a setup that leans heavily into isolation and survival, with the environment itself becoming part of the danger while the mysterious creature stalks its prey.
The film is part of the ongoing partnership between Sony Pictures and Netflix that began in 2021. Through that agreement, Sony gives Netflix the first opportunity to distribute films that are intended for streaming. The project started as a spec script from Peter Gaffney, who later worked on rewrites alongside Sean Tretta.
Production is being handled by Erik Feig and Jessica Switch for Picturestart, with Dan Kagan also producing. Hans Ritter and Pine will serve as executive producers.
Pine has been busy lining up a wide range of projects. He recently appeared at Sundance with the romantic drama Carousel, where he stars opposite Jenny Slate. He’s also reportedly in talks to join Emma Stone in Universal’s upcoming rom-com The Catch.
On top of that, Pine will appear in the sci-fi comedy Alpha Gang from filmmakers David Zellner and Nathan Zellner.
Bell is another rising talent. She recently premiered the family fantasy film Fing! at Sundance alongside Taika Waititi and Mia Wasikowska, and she’ll soon appear as Lou Lou in Lionsgate’s highly anticipated The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping.
Winstone brings a long list of memorable performances with him, including roles in The Departed, Sexy Beast, Beowulf, and Cold Mountain. He’s also been working with Netflix lately, appearing in the fantasy film Damsel with Millie Bobby Brown, which became one of the streamer’s most popular movies ever, as well as Guy Ritchie’s series The Gentlemen.
Boutella has also built a strong relationship with Netflix after starring in Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon films. She’s also appeared in Matthew Vaughn’s spy thriller Argylle, The Killer’s Game opposite Dave Bautista, and the series Rogue Heroes. Her next project is the genre-bending film DreamQuil with Elizabeth Banks, which is set to premiere at SXSW.
As for Chaves, horror fans know his name well thanks to his work across the The Conjuring universe. His directing credits include The Curse of La Llorona, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, and The Nun II.
His most recent entry, The Conjuring: Last Rites, ended up becoming the highest-grossing film in the franchise, pulling in nearly $500 million worldwide.
With Chaves stepping into creature thriller territory and Pine leading the charge against a monster lurking in a frozen wilderness, Yeti has the ingredients for a pretty intense survival story.
