In a surprising turn of events, the much-anticipated Cliffhanger reboot is moving forward without Sylvester Stallone, who starred in the original 1993 film, as reported by Variety. The reboot, currently in production in Austria with a revamped cast and creative team, features Lily James (Cinderella) and Pierce Brosnan (GoldenEye) as the leads, with Jaume Collet-Serra (The Shallows) directing.
Stallone was initially set to reprise his role as mountain climber Gabe Walker in what was to be a legacy sequel of the iconic film. However, a series of creative changes led to a complete overhaul of the project. The new Cliffhanger script, crafted from a story by Ana Lily Amirpour (A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night), presents a fresh narrative that departs significantly from the original that is described as a “father-daughter take on Die Hard.”
James plays Naomi, a young woman grappling with the trauma of a past climbing accident. The plot thickens when her father, seasoned mountaineer Ray Cooper, portrayed by Brosnan, is kidnapped during a mountain trip with a wealthy adventurer’s son. The film follows Naomi’s high-stakes journey to rescue her father, confronting her fears and battling a group of kidnappers in the process.
The Cliffhanger reboot features a notable ensemble cast, including Nell Tiger Free (The First Omen), Franz Rogowski (Passages), Shubham Saraf (Shantaram), Assaad Bouab (Peaky Blinders), Suzy Bemba (Poor Things), and Bruno Gouery (Emily in Paris). Austria’s Lienz Dolomites as the primary filming location complements the film’s grand scale, with additional scenes to be shot in Germany and Italy.
Director Jaume Collet-Serra expressed his commitment to delivering an authentic and exhilarating cinematic experience 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.
The original Cliffhanger was a box office success, grossing US$255 million worldwide and garnering three Oscar nominations. While shifting away from the legacy sequel concept, this reboot aims to forge its own path in the Cliffhanger saga. This approach’s success could pave the way for future films that blend elements from both the original and the reboot, depending on audience reception. While a release date has yet to be confirmed, the film industry and fans alike await the new Cliffhanger with high expectations.
Natalie is a big fan of anything related to movies, TV shows, games, and comics — you name it. When she’s not reading or geeking out about the latest shows on Netflix, she’s probably playing gacha and tabletop games, or daydreaming of Sylus from Love and Deepspace.
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