Will Danny Boyle's Next Movie Be The Story Of Mountain Climber Aron Ralston?

Danny Boyle has mentioned a number of possible next projects since winning the Oscar for Slumdog Millionaire, but we haven't heard about anything definitive yet. For a while, one of the biggest possibilities seemed to be Maximum City, a story that would return him to Mumbai. Other options were My Fair Lady and 28 Months Later. Yet another, which came up when Boyle signed his three-year deal with Fox Searchlight, was filming the story of Aron Ralston, the mountain climber who cut off his own arm to survive after being pinned by a boulder. The latter now seems like it's the one for Boyle. The reason, after the break.The Playlist noticed an interview with Boyle in DigitalSpy. There, he says he's got his next film almost totally set up and ready to go. But first he puts to rest a few questions. After working on it for a bit, My Fair Lady isn't happening. ("It hasn't worked out with me in the end, so that's no for me.") 28 Months Later is "only a possibility at the moment." And while Boyle sounds interested in Maximum City, he says "it'll be a little bit down the line." Then, with respect to what his next film will actually be, Boyle says,

I do [know], but I can't quite tell you about it because it's not quite all signed, sealed and sorted out legal-wise. It's based on a true story so there were complications to do with rights, that kind of stuff. We're close to solving it and hope to be shooting in March next year.

Going back over all the projects he's discussed in the last year, that sure could be pointing to the Aron Ralston story. I still love the idea of Boyle filming this tale. Ralston was forced to amputate his own arm in the field with a small knife after he was pinned by a boulder during a hiking mishap. Just watch Ralston's own horrific account of the event, below, to understand why this could be such a powerful film and a perfect fit for Boyle.