The Cliffhanger reboot undergoes a creative overhaul with a new cast and director, as Sylvester Stallone will no longer be returning. Directed by Renny Harlin, with a script co-written by Stallone, the 1993 action film followed a mountain rescue ranger who, months after failing to recuse his best friend’s girlfriend, becomes embroiled in a botched midair heist of a U.S. Treasury plane flying through the Rocky Mountains. In 2023, it was announced that Cliffhanger 2 was in the works with Stallone returning and Greenland’s Ric Roman Waugh directing a script by Mark Bianculli.
Now, the project has undergone a complete creative overhaul and Stallone will no longer be returning. According to Variety, the Cliffhanger reboot is currently filming in Austria with Lily James and Pierce Brosnan starring and Jaume Collet-Serra (Jungle Cruise, Black Adam) directing a new script with a story by Ana Lily Amirpour which is described as a “father-daughter take on Die Hard.” An image of James scaling a mountain was also released and Serra shared the following 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.
What The Cliffhanger Reboot’s Creative Overhaul Means For The Movie
It Will Follow A Different, But Similar Story
Cliffhanger 2 was originally going to follow Sylvester Stallone’s character and his daughter, who’s also a mountain climber. However, after the creative overhaul, the reboot will follow a different, but somewhat similar story with new characters. The former James Bond actor Pierce Brosnan will seemingly act as Stallone’s stand-in, taking on the role of an experienced mountain climber, Ray Cooper, who runs a luxury chalet in the Dolomites with his daughter, Sydney. During a weekend trip for a billionaire’s son, they become targeted by a gang of kidnappers.
As a result, Ray’s other daughter Naomi (played by Lily James), who is still traumatized by a previous mountain climbing accident, witnesses the kidnapping and narrowly escapes. To rescue her family, she must overcome her fears and fight for their survival. Though the reboot has undergone a complete creative overhaul, its story still echoes the original, involving a main character haunted by a traumatic climbing incident who is pitted against a group of criminals. The cast also includes Nell Tiger Free, Franz Rogowski, Shubham Saraf, Assaad Bouab, Suzy Bemba, and Bruno Gouery.
Our Take On The Cliffhanger Reboot’s Creative Overhaul
Lily James Could Be A Serviceable Replacement
It’s unclear why Sylvester Stallone isn’t returning, though he is busy with Tulsa King and an array of other upcoming projects. Though fans may have preferred to see the original star returning, the Cliffhanger reboot still presents an intriguing opportunity. Pierce Brosnan is a seasoned action star thanks to his time as James Bond, though Lily James, while an emerging talent with an Emmy-nominated performance in Hulu’s Pam & Tommy, has yet to undertake a demanding action role. With Stallone absent from the Cliffhanger reboot, James has the chance to step up as an unlikely action hero in his stead.