The Dark Wizard : this is the title of a four-part documentary series HBO has dedicated to Yosemite legend Dean Potter, who died in a wingsuit accident in 2015. A gifted climber and lover of breathtaking solo ascents, Dean Potter is one of the most radical figures in the history of climbing and Yosemite—a history that is certainly no stranger to such figures.
Premiering on April 14 and directed by Peter Mortimer (The Alpinist) and Nick Rosen, the series promises to be a portrait of an extraordinary athlete, admired for his daring as much as he was criticized for his excessive penchant for risk.
Dean Potter ©Collection HBO
Dean Potter had established himself as an exceptional climber far beyond the climbing community alone. Notably, in 2002, he completed a solo ascent of The Nose on El Capitan in just over four hours, combining free climbing and “French free” (artificial climbing), thereby setting a solo record time on this legendary route. He also distinguished himself in full-solo climbing, highlining, and BASE jumping, to the point where, for many, he embodied an extreme form of vertical freedom.
Dean Potter was one of the few to consider the possibility of a fall during full-solo climbing—“free base”—with a BASE canopy on his back as his means of survival. He thus completed the Deep Blue Sea (7b+) route on the Eiger solo on-sight. He held the speed record for El Capitan (with Sean Leary) and completed the Supercouloir on Fitz Roy solo (in 2006).
©Collection HBO
But The Dark Wizard doesn’t seem content to settle for a simple tribute. The title pretty much sums up the project’s ambition: to revisit the fascination Potter inspired, the dark side of his genius. A visionary to some, a hothead to others, he always occupied a unique place, constantly pushing the boundaries. He died in 2015 during a wingsuit jump in Yosemite at the age of 43, leaving behind a legacy as immense as it is controversial.
This is undoubtedly where the series finds its strength: in telling not only of his exploits, but also of the inner logic of a man who seemed incapable of living any other way than on the edge. Featuring testimonials from leading climbers such as Alex Honnold and Cedar Wright, *The Dark Wizard* could go beyond a simple narrative to become a nuanced portrait of an icon turned myth.