Supervolcano (film)

Did You Know?

• The film was funded by the BBC along with television stations in the United States, Germany, France, and Japan.
• Supervolcano cost £2.8 million, one of the most expensive programmes the BBC has ever made.

Plot

At a press conference, Yellowstone Volcano Observatory lead scientist Richard Lieberman unveils a new virtual simulator called VIRGIL alongside colleagues Jock Galvin, Dave, Matt, Nancy, and boss Michael Eldridge. Reporter Maggie Chin asks about eruption risks, but Rick dismisses them as extremely unlikely. After an earthquake creates a tsunami on a park lake, Maggie interviews Kenneth "Ken" Wylie, Rick's brother-in-law, about his volcano book. The two later clash, with Rick accusing Ken of stoking fear to boost sales. FEMA undersecretary Wendy Reiss presses Rick for the worst-case scenario, and he shows her a simulation of catastrophic ashfall across the country. Following a hydrothermal event at Norris Geyser Basin, Rick's team runs VIRGIL simulations and finds that even a moderate eruption could destabilize the entire magma chamber, triggering a super eruption. After more seismic activity, the park closes, but Maggie sneaks in. Rick sends Matt to guide her, and they detect a harmonic tremor near Norris signaling an imminent eruption. A leaked email about the expected eruption sparks nationwide panic. FEMA forces Rick to downplay the threat at a Washington press conference. While Rick flies back, his colleagues finish inputting new data and realize the top of the magma chamber alone contains enough eruptible magma to cause a super eruption. The volcano erupts, wrecking the field office and injuring Jock. A pyroclastic flow forces the team to evacuate; Jock escapes by helicopter, but Nancy and Matt flee in their truck, only to be overtaken and killed by the flow.