Since its 1993 release, multiple efforts have been made to either reboot or continue Sylvester Stallone’s high-altitude action film, Cliffhanger. One of the more recent iterations had Stallone attached in a supporting role that would have seen him pass the torch to a new generation of mountain climbers, much like his approach in Creed. However, that version fell apart following a major creative overhaul, which brought on a new set of cast and characters as well as a new director. The project was subsequently reimagined as a gender-swapped remake, with Lily James taking on the lead role. Now, James has provided an encouraging update, confirming that the film has made significant progress and is on track to hit screens soon.
James will next be seen in the movie, Finally Dawn, due out next weekend on July 18, 2025. While promoting the film recently, the actress spoke to ScreenRant, in an interview where she shared a substantial update on the status of Cliffhanger. Director Jaume Collet-Serra, who took over the reins from Ric Roman Waugh, previously described the project as a “visceral and premium theatrical experience,” noting James’ dedication to the role, including her intensive climbing training. The actress has now, for the first time, confirmed the extent of her physical involvement in the role while revealing that filming has wrapped and the movie is now in the editing phase. She said:
“I don’t want to say too much to give it away right now. What I will say is I had one of the most thrilling experiences of my life. We shot in the Dolomites. We were there for six weeks on the mountains. I was really hanging off mountains. We had to shut down multiple times because of freak snowstorms. The story is very much through Naomi and her sister Sydney. I would hope that we are maintaining what people love about the original cliffhanger, but it’s definitely different. It’s feral, it’s raw. It’s a real re-imagining, and I am producing it too. And I loved working with Jaume Collet-Sera, who’s directing it. We have a wonderful cast. Pierce Brosnan is just a dream, and we’re in the edit phase now, but I’m really, really excited to share this one. And I fell completely in love with rock climbing. I became utterly obsessed. And getting physically strong for that was one of the biggest challenges. But getting to really do it and really do all that climbing was seriously empowering really. And I loved it.”
What Is ‘Cliffhanger’ About and Who Else Stars?
The remake was originally tipped off as a father-daughter take on Die Hard, with the focus on James’s character, Naomi Cooper, and her father Ryan (Brosnan). However, James’ words above tease a slight variation with the story to be told through “Naomi and her sister Sydney.” Earlier plot details revealed that Ryan is a seasoned mountaineer who runs a luxury chalet in the Dolomites. When kidnappers target the resort during a billionaire’s son’s vacation, Naomi confronts her deepest fears and throws herself into the action to save her family. The screenplay was written by Ana Lily Amirpour, who also serves as an executive producer alongside Collet-Serra.
The cast is fleshed out by Nell Tiger Free (The First Omen), Franz Rogowski (Passages), Shubham Saraf (Shantaram), Assaad Bouab (Franklin), Suzy Bemba (Poor Things), and Bruno Gouery (Emily in Paris). There’s no release date yet for the film, but with the process now in post-production, release details should arrive soon. Stay tuned for updates.
Source: ScreenRant