Fans of the 1993 action classic Cliffhanger are in for a surprising twist as the planned reboot of the Sylvester Stallone movie will now, after all, no longer star Stallone. The re-imagining will not bring Sly back on to the mountains but is bringing in some fresh (cliff) faces for the new and intense adventure. Lily James (The Iron Claw, Pam & Tommy) has stepped in to lead the new take on Stallone‘s iconic role, joined by the silver fox that is Pierce Brosnan as her co-star, with Jaume Collet-Serra (Non-Stop, Carry-On) directing.
Although the movie was initially announced nearly 18 months ago with Stallone attached, the project has since seen a major creative shift, with Hunters writer Mark Bianculli’s script reworked to make a nice, meaty role for James to step into. The cast for the reboot has also been filled nicely, including the likes of Nell Tiger Free (Servant, The First Omen), Franz Rogowski (Passages), Shubham Saraf (Shantaram), Assaad Bouab (Franklin), Suzy Bemba (Poor Things), and Emily in Paris standout Bruno Gouery. The story was developed by Ana Lily Amirpour, while Collet-Serra and Amirpour both join as executive producers.
What Will ‘Cliffhanger’ Be About?
According to an exclusive report from Variety. the rebooted Cliffhanger has transformed from its origins into what insiders are calling a “father-daughter take on Die Hard.” Brosnan stars as Ray Cooper, a seasoned mountaineer who runs a luxury chalet in the stunning Dolomites. But when a group of kidnappers attacks during a getaway with a billionaire’s son, Ray’s daughter Naomi (James) is forced to confront her darkest fears at the top of a mountain.
Haunted by a past climbing accident, Naomi narrowly escapes the attack and has to dig deep and tap into her mountaineering skills to rescue her father and survive. The exciting story is also going to take full advantage of the film’s breathtaking location, shot on-site in Austria and the Dolomites, while the movie is also set to be filmed in large format, as Collet-Serra explained in a statement.
“Shooting our movie on location in the Dolomites using large format cameras was imperative for us to show the scope and scale of the story we’re telling. We’re going to bring the audience a truly thrilling and visceral, premium theatrical experience. Lily in particular has gone above and beyond for the role, putting in real training and learning to climb. Her dedication has allowed us to capture some incredible shots we couldn’t have achieved otherwise, and the whole crew is blown away by her commitment.”
Stay tuned to Collider for more updates on the new and improved Cliffhanger. The movie is available to stream on Paramount+
via Collider