Shailene Woodley Will Push Her Limits In Ultra, A Psychological Thriller Set In Death Valley
When most people say they are going through a tough time, they mean they need a weekend off and maybe some therapy. Shailene Woodley’s next character deals with it by running 135 miles through one of the hottest places on earth. That is the premise of Ultra, a new psychological thriller from writer and director Victoria Negri, who previously made the acclaimed drama Gold Star. The project is now in motion with Woodley signed on to star, and if the early details are anything to go by, it sounds like one of the most physically and emotionally punishing films of her career.
According to Deadline, Ultra centers on a woman named Eve who decides to compete in the Badwater 135 Ultramarathon, known as the most extreme race on the planet. The course runs straight through Death Valley, with temperatures that can hit 54 degrees Celsius, which is the kind of heat that makes your shoes melt if you stand still too long. Eve is not just running for sport. She is grieving the recent death of her twin sister, and the race becomes her attempt to outrun that loss. But as the miles stretch on, she begins to notice another runner on the course — a mysterious figure dressed in white who seems to be closing the distance no matter how fast she moves. Whether that person is real or something born from Eve’s fractured mind becomes the central question of the story.
If anyone can sell both the physical agony and psychological breakdown of such a journey, it is Shailene Woodley. The actress has spent her career balancing blockbuster fame with bold, emotional storytelling. Many know her from The Divergent Series, where she played reluctant hero Tris Prior, but she has also built an impressive resume of smaller, character driven films. Her performance in The Descendants opposite George Clooney earned her critical acclaim, while The Spectacular Now and The Fault in Our Stars proved she could carry complex, intimate dramas. Later, she turned to darker territory in HBO’s Big Little Lies, where she held her own alongside Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, and Laura Dern. Woodley has never been afraid to take on roles that demand intensity, both physical and emotional, and Ultra sounds like it will push those limits even further.
Behind the camera, Victoria Negri brings her own experience to the story. Her debut film Gold Star, released in 2017, was a deeply personal drama inspired by her own family and earned praise for its raw emotion and restrained direction. For Ultra, Negri is drawing again from real life. Her father was a passionate distance runner who became paralyzed after a stroke, losing the activity that had once defined him. Negri has said that she turned to running herself as a way to process that loss, completing two 100 mile races, several 50 milers, and multiple marathons. That lived experience gives Ultra a sense of authenticity most psychological thrillers only dream of. Negri has described the film as “a visceral descent into inner turmoil” that uses physical endurance as a metaphor for emotional survival.
The film is being produced by Allison Rose Carter and Jon Read for Savage Rose Films, along with Iris Torres. Executive producers include Andrew Kortschak and Lisa Ciuffetti for End Cue, and Toby Halbrooks for Sailor Bear. That team has an impressive mix of independent film experience, which suggests Ultra will lean into realism and atmosphere rather than high gloss spectacle.
There is a lot of potential here. The desert setting alone offers a striking visual landscape — a vast, empty world where heat and silence become as oppressive as any villain. Combine that with the psychological unraveling of a character who cannot tell whether she is being stalked or haunted, and Ultra could deliver the kind of slow burn suspense that leaves you thirsty just watching it.
Woodley’s commitment to authenticity and Negri’s personal connection to the material could make this one stand out among recent survival thrillers. It is not about conquering nature, but confronting grief, pain, and the terrifying realization that some things can only be faced by pushing yourself to the edge.
So yes, Ultra is shaping up to be one of the more intriguing projects on the horizon. Between the scorching desert, the mind bending tension, and the promise of Shailene Woodley at her most raw and fearless, it might just be the movie that leaves audiences sweating in their seats. Bring sunscreen, water, and maybe a therapist. You are going to need all three.
