Netflix’s upcoming miniseries La Palma looks set to deliver a volcanic eruption of a different kind – one that blends spectacular disaster-movie thrills with the quiet intensity of Nordic Noir. The trailer has dropped, and it’s all ash clouds, fiery lava flows, and Norwegians facing their doom with stoic determination. Premiering Wednesday, December 12, 2024, this four-part series might just be the perfect holiday viewing for those who like their eggnog with a side of existential dread.
From the disaster-movie veterans behind The Wave, The Quake, and The Burning Sea, La Palma depicts the fictional eruption of the Cumbre Vieja volcano on the titular Canary Island. This isn’t just a mindless CGI fest however. Sure, there’s guaranteed to be some impressive visuals as the island paradise descends into a fiery hellscape, but the series aims to focus on the human stories amid the chaos.
Anders Baasmo, Ingrid Bolsø Berdal, Thea Sofie Loch Næss, and Thorbjørn Harr lead the cast as Norwegian tourists caught in the cataclysm. They’ll be battling toxic ash, dodging lava bombs, and possibly facing off against each other as panic sets in. Writers Harald Rosenløw Eeg and Lars Gudmestad seem to be aiming for a thoughtful exploration of how ordinary people react when faced with extraordinary circumstances. Will they maintain their composure and help each other, or will they descend into every-tourist-for-themselves savagery? The trailer hints at both possibilities.
Directed by Kasper Barfoed (The Nurse, The Chestnut Man), La Palma is also apparently a bit of a technical showcase for Norwegian television, with production company Fantefilm Scripted Series AS claiming they’re pushing the boundaries of visual effects. Whether the visuals truly reach new heights remains to be seen, but based on the trailer, the special effects budget looks decidedly non-zero. Rounding out the cast are Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, Johannes Joner, Jorge de Juan, Iselin Shumba, and Amund Harboe, adding further Scandinavian/Spanish flavor to this fiery brew.
La Palma premieres on Netflix on Wednesday, December 12, 2024.
