A reboot of the Sylvester Stallone-starring 1993 action thriller film Cliffhanger is in the works, with Pierce Brosnan and Lily James in the lead as a father-daughter duo. Jaume Collet-Serra is directing the film, which is co-produced by Rocket Science. The screenplay is said to be based on a story by Ana Lily Amirpour, with Melanie Toast penning the latest draft. It’s expected to be a theatrical release.
The project is also supported by Thank You Pictures, Supernix, and James and Gala Gordon’s Parodos banner. Speaking about the film, Lily told Deadline, “The process of shooting Cliffhanger has been exhilarating. I love stepping into the shoes, and learning from the climbing community. Jaume is a force. We have a fearless cast and crew who have been unparalleled in their passion and dedication.”
According to reports, Pierce will be seen as seasoned mountaineer Ray Cooper, who runs a luxury chalet in the Dolomites with daughter Sydney. The story begins when they are attacked by kidnappers during a weekend trip with a billionaire’s son. However, Ray’s daughter Naomi (played by Lily), who is still reeling from a past climbing accident, decides to run away. But in order to protect her family, she must confront her fears and fight for survival. The cast also includes Nell Tiger Free, Franz Rogowski, Shubham Saraf, Assaad Bouab, Suzy Bemba and Bruno Gouery.
In an interview with Variety, director Jaume said, “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.”
Commenting on Lily’s dedication toward the project, he said, “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 directed and co-produced by Renny Harlin. It also starred John Lithgow, Michael Rooker, Janine Turner, Leon Robinson, Paul Winfield and Ralph Waite. The story was based on a concept by climber John Long, while it also took inspiration from mountaineer Gabe Stallone, who gets entangled in a heist involving a US Treasury plane flying through the Rocky Mountains.
