A ’90s Sylvester Stallone classic is getting a remake

The film was previously packaged with Stallone set to return, but has since been revamped.

By Joe Allen Published October 31, 2024

Sylvester Stallone in the original Cliffhanger — TriStar Pictures

Remakes have been a part of Hollywood for as long as studios have been around, but they have rarely been as popular as they are today. The latest classic blockbuster to get the remake treatment is reportedly Cliffhanger, the Sylvester Stallone action movie about a mountain climber who goes up against a gang of thieves who are hoping to recover their lost loot.

This reboot was first announced a year and a half ago, according to Variety, and Stallone was attached to star in that version of the project. Now, Stallone is out, and the remake will star Lily James, with Pierce Brosnan set to co-star. Jaume Collet-Sera is set to direct.

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Filming is underway in Austria, and the film’s supporting cast includes Nell Tiger Free, Franz Rogowski, Suzy Bemba, Shubham Saraf and Bruno Gouery. The latest version of the script is based on a story by Ana Lily Amirpour and is said to resemble a father-daughter version of Die Hard, hopefully with more mountains.

Brosnan is set to play Ray Cooper, a seasoned mountain climber who operates a luxury chalet in the Dolomites with his daughter, Sydney. During a weekend trip with a billionaire’s son, they are targeted by a gang of kidnappers. Ray’s daughter, Naomi, witnesses the attack and, dealing with a traumatic past of her own, must spring into action.

“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,” Collet-Serra 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.”

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Joe Allen is a freelance culture writer based in upstate New York. His work has been published in The Washington Post, The…

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