Netflix's La Palma is wowing audiences worldwide, leading many to question whether the blockbuster streaming series is based on a true story.
The Norwegian action epic follows a group of geological researchers and a family of four confronting a devastating disaster: an incoming volcanic eruption.
The four-part series is now streaming on Netflix, featuring visceral, seemingly true-to-life action sequences that place the viewers at the center of the ecological terror.
Is La Palma Based on a True Story?
While La Palma's explosive plot may feel based on a true story, that does not necessarily mean it was.
Joining the likes of the streamer's other seemingly true-to-life dramas (i.e., Mary or Mending, the action in the new Netflix series feels so authentic that some fans are confused over what is real and fake, but it turns out the show was not based in reality at all.
It takes no 'based on a true story' inspiration from any specific event but is rather a work of fiction centered on a real ecological threat.
What is real is that La Palma is an actual location known for its volcanic activity. La Palma is an island in the Canary Islands chain off the west coast of Africa.
It is technically a Spanish-ruled territory known for its massive mountains and large forested areas. The area has seen three significant volcanic eruptions since 1949 and is commonly referred to in the ecological community as one of the most volcanically volatile regions in the world.
La Palma experienced a significant volcanic eruption in December 2021, when the island's Cumbre Vieja volcano blew its top. It destroyed thousands of structures and wide swaths of agricultural lands between September and December 2021.
While some assumed the Netflix show was based on this destructive real-life eruption, that does not seem to be the case.
La Palma was reportedly set to film on the island before the 2021 eruption, indicating that it drew inspiration from the setting rather than any specific event.
The series may have altered its storyline slightly following the 2021 ecological event, taking place in the series around Christmas (which is in line with the September to December 2021 timing), but that seems to be about as far as the real-life inspiration goes.
This is not the first time a seemingly true-to-life story confused fans while watching, with other recent streaming hits like Disney+'s Out of My Mind also making viewers question what is real and what is not (read more about Out of My Mind).
La Palma is streaming on Netflix.
