Danny Boyle climbs on mountaineer epic 127 Hours

If Hollywood was hoping Danny Boyle's next film would be another jubilant, rags-to-riches fable in the vein of Slumdog Millionaire, then it has another think coming. What it has coming, in fact, is a stark, small-scale survival drama about a lonely mountaineer who cuts off his own forearm.

Boyle has signed up to direct 127 Hours, a film based on the true-life ordeal of mountaineer Aron Ralston. According to Variety, the picture will reunite Boyle with his team on the Oscar-sweeping Slumdog Millionaire. Christian Colson returns as producer, while Simon Beaufoy is in talks to write the script.

Aron Ralston was climbing in Utah's Blue John Canyon in late April 2003 when his arm became trapped beneath a fallen boulder. Pinned against the mountainside for five days, he survived by drinking his own urine and even videotaped a goodbye message for his family. He eventually escaped by hacking off his arm with a blunt knife and a pair of pliers.

Following his ordeal, Ralston appeared on the US talkshow circuit and found a fresh lease of life as a corporate speaker. He later wrote a book about the experience, entitled Between a Rock and a Hard Place.

127 Hours, like Slumdog Millionaire, will be backed by Fox Searchlight. It is due to shoot early next year with a release date set for late 2010.

Slumdog Millionaire opened the London film festival last October. It went on to win eight Oscars at the 2009 Academy Awards and has so far earned $377m (£228m) at the global box office. 127 Hours, however, may yet prove to be a tougher sell.