An official trailer has been released forThe Volcano: Rescue from Whakaari, the newest documentary heading toNetflix. The project hails from Imagine Documentaries, Appian Way, and Moxie Films with director Rory Kennedy helping to tell the true story of the tragic volcanic eruption that occurred in New Zealand in 2019. The documentary will start streaming on Jun 08, 2025, and you can get a first look by watching the new trailer below.
Described as a “tense and gripping” documentary, the film tracks the minute-by-minute unfolding of the eruption as it happened, recalling how the tragedy took the lives of 22 people while leaving others in need of a rescue. Rory Kennedy, an Oscar-nominated filmmaker, directs with the doc written by Mark Bailey and Dallas Brennan Rexer. Kennedy, Bailey, and Rexer also produced with Sara Bernstein and Justin Wilkes, while executive producers include Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Jennifer Davisson, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Phillip Watson. Alex Perry co-executive produced.
The official synopsis forThe Volcano: Rescue from Whakaariis as follows:
During a routine sightseeing day-trip to a remote volcanic island, 47 tourists and guides were trapped in the epicenter of a boiling pyroclastic surge of toxic dust and ash. Both terrifying and inspiring, the film uses first-hand accounts to convey the experience of living through such a lethal eruption. Offering more than a startling and brutal portrait of mother nature’s profound indifference, The Volcano also serves as testimony to human nature’s innate generosity. Guided by survivors — men and women who were tested in ways they never imagined — as well as the courageous and quick-thinking ordinary citizens who sprang to action that day, the viewer comes to understand the value of our human connection. Stark and dramatic storytelling, The Volcano paints a raw and honest portrait of humanity at its best, even as it faces nature at her worst.
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Netflix Dives Into the Tragic True Story
Whakaari, also called White Island, had been a very popular spot for tourists to visit. Many were present on Jul 30, 2025, with nearly 50 people on the island when it was suddenly met with an explosive, volcanic eruption. There were 22 people left dead by the eruption, and while the survivors were badly injured, efforts to rescue them were quite challenging given the ensuing weather conditions and toxic gases that continued to affect the area. A subsequent investigation alleged multiple violations under the Health and Safety at Work Act in New Zealand.
“This is a very, very hard day for many families whose loved ones have been caught up in this terrible, terrible tragedy,“Prime Minister Scott Morrison announcedafter the tragedy occurred. “I fear there is worse to come.”
