Baltasar Kormákur will direct the intriguing series, which has been in development for some time…
The words “supernatural” and “volcano” aren’t typically paired together on TV, but Everest director Baltasar Kormákur is all set to create a whole series out of the concept for Netflix with his new drama project, Katla.
Eight episodes of the forthcoming show are in development at the streaming service, created by Kormákur and Trapped showrunner Sigurjón Kjartansson over a period of several years. Katla is set in Iceland, and filming will soon get underway, with a late-2020 or early-2021 release date being considered.
Per Deadline, the series starts “one year after the violent eruption of the sub-glacial volcano Katla, which dramatically disturbs the peace and tranquillity of the small town of Vik. As people evacuate the area, the ice near the volcano starts to melt. The few remaining people manage to provide necessary community service and despite its grand location the area turns out somewhat apocalyptic. Mysterious elements, that have been deeply frozen into the glacier from prehistoric times, start to emerge from the melting ice and cause consequences no one could have ever foreseen.”
“It’s an exciting challenge to embark on this journey on Katla with Netflix and we‘re honoured to be the first Icelandic production team to be commissioned to deliver a full series. Katla is a unique and ambitious sci-fi project that has been in development within my company, RVK Studios for a few years and we’re delighted that it now has been picked up by Netflix,” said Kormákur in a statement.
“Iceland has been the home for so many series and films over the years,” said Tesha Crawford, Director Netflix International Originals Northern Europe. “We are excited to be able to feature it’s breathtaking surroundings in a story that is so grounded in Icelandic themes. Working with such an acclaimed talent like Baltasar Kormákur makes this project a perfect set up for us. We can’t wait to see this story come to life and bring it to our members all across the globe.”