This Week: Charlize Theron & Taron Egerton Face Off in Netflix’s Apex

Just caught your breath after watching Ben Affleck and Matt Damon star in The Rip, and hunting for your next survival fix? Clear your schedule for Apex, which hits Netflix this Friday (24 April), pitting a barefoot Charlize Theron against a terrifyingly unhinged Taron Egerton with a sinisterly jovial Aussie accent.

Set against the brutal expanse of the Australian outback, the film follows a gripping, high-octane chase where survival is anything but guaranteed. Filming wrapped in May 2025, and anticipation has been building ever since.

As with most Netflix originals, the film will skip cinemas entirely and go straight to the streamer. Here’s everything you need to know before you tune in this weekend.

Taron Egerton as Ben and Charlize Theron as Sasha in APEX. (Kane Skennar/Netflix © 2026)

Netflix’s Apex: Plot, Cast, Release Date & More

Netflix first revealed Apex as its next big blockbuster back in 2024 and it’s already got some wild behind-the-scenes stories to match the hype. At the film’s wrap party, for one, lead star Theron joked that just making it to the end felt like an achievement in itself. After powering through filming with a fractured toe (yes, really), she laughed, ‘It’s actually a miracle that I’m here today,’ hinting at the intense stunts she took on, often without much protection.

Despite the chaos, she couldn’t stop raving about the experience, saying: ‘Shooting Apex was one of the most incredible experiences of my life.’ She also gave a shoutout to her co-stars, including her co-lead Egerton. It definitely sounds like their on screen clash is going to be just as explosive as filming was…

Charlize Theron as Sasha in APEX. (Kane Skennar/Netflix © 2026)

The Plot

While most people venture into the wilderness to find themselves, or perhaps explore some untapped wildlife, adrenaline junkie Sasha (Theron) finds someone she never wanted to meet. Grieving and seeking solace in the Australian Outback, the rock climber soon discovers she isn’t alone: there’s a cunning predator on her tail. That relentless threat comes in the form of Ben (Egerton)  and she must muster everything within her to outsmart him.

As Theron puts it, Apex is ‘a psychological thriller’, adding: ‘It’s really a story about survival, not just physically but emotionally. And it’s about finding out what you’re made of.’

Watch the trailer below for a taste of the action.

Both leads underwent intense training to prepare for their roles in Apex, from fight choreography to extreme sports. For Theron, the physical demands were unlike anything she’d done before. Despite having no real climbing experience beyond childhood tree-climbing, she fully committed, taking up intensive kayaking to build the strength needed to scale cliffs barefoot. She also trained alongside professional climber Beth Rodden to prepare for the film’s vertical challenges.

The shoot itself was no easier, often requiring cast and crew to hike into remote locations. Theron praised director Baltasar Kormákur for his no-shortcuts approach, even when it pushed everyone to their limits.

Egerton and Theron behind the scenes with director Baltasar Kormákur. (Netflix)

Icelandic actor and director Kormákur has made a career out of man-versus-nature survival stories. He is well-known at home for The Deep (2012), which captures the tragic real story of the lone survivor of a capsized fishing boat off the frigid Icelandic coast. More recently he has made a name for himself internationally with big-budget survival epics like Everest (2015), Adrift (2018) and Beast (2022).

Speaking to Netflix about his excitement for Apex, Kormákur said: ‘Working in the rugged, beautiful terrains of Australia with three of the world’s most talented, dedicated actors in Charlize Theron, Taron Egerton, and Eric Bana is such a joy – even as I put them through the [ringer] in this unique survivor story.’

Eric Bana as Tommy in APEX. (Kane Skennar/Netflix © 2026)

The Cast

The cast is deliberately tight, keeping Theron and Egerton’s claustrophobic cat-and-mouse dynamic in the spotlight. Both lead stars are very familiar faces, especially on Netflix. While we wait for her to reprise her role as Andy in the upcoming The Old Guard sequel, fans can catch Theron The School for Good and Evil (2022). Meanwhile, you will recognise Egerton from his breakout role in the Kingsman series, as well as Eddie the Eagle (2016) and Rocketman (2019) – or, more recently, Netflix’s Carry-On (2024).

Here’s the full lineup:

• Charlize Theron as Sasha
• Taron Egerton as Ben
• Eric Bana as Tommy
• Caitlin Stasey as Leah
• Bessie Holland as Cas
• Zac Garred

While he may not be the assailant on her tail, Theron also shared her excitement about finally working with Eric Bana. ‘I have been trying to work with Eric for over 20 years,’ she said. ‘We have literally circled each other on projects and it’s just never worked out, so this was kind of a no-brainer… He’s amazing in the film.’

Taron Egerton as Ben in APEX. (Kane Skennar/Netflix © 2026)

Where Was It Filmed?

Apex is set in the Australian outback, and it was filmed down under, too. The Blue Mountains west of Sydney provide the rugged backdrop for the life-or-death struggle, although the chase itself was filmed in the fictional Wandarra National Park.

Release Date

Apex lands on Netflix on Friday 24 April 2026.

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