Lily James Takes Over from Sylvester Stallone in Vertigo-Inducing First Look at Cliffhanger Reboot

Lily James is scaling new heights with her next movie. 

Cliffhanger, a reboot and legacy sequel of the 1993 thriller starring Sylvester Stallone, will see the British actress defying gravity alongside Pierce Brosnan. 

The first images from the upcoming film show James, 35, facing a mountain of a challenge: in one shot she gazes upward at an intimidating rock face, while in another she hangs from it at a great height. 

Per a press release, the new Cliffhanger costars Nell Tiger Free, Franz Rogowski, Shubham Saraf, Assaad Bouab, Suzy Bemba and Bruno Gouery. Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra (The Shallows), it hails from Rocket Science, the production company behind The Gentlemen, All Quiet on the Western Front and this year’s Lee and The Apprentice.

“In this reboot of Cliffhanger, seasoned mountaineer Ray Cooper (Pierce Brosnan) and his daughter Sydney run a mountain chalet in the Dolomites,” reads an official synopsis. “During a weekend trip with a billionaire's son, they are targeted by a gang of kidnappers. Ray's older daughter Naomi (Lily James), still haunted by a past climbing accident, witnesses the attack and escapes.”

James’ character must “save her family” and “fight for survival in the Italian Dolomites,” it concludes. The movie is currently filming on location in Austria, Germany and Italy. 

In a statement, Collet-Serra promised movie audiences “a truly thrilling and visceral, premium theatrical experience” and had particular praise for James. The Pam & Tommy star “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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The Oscar-nominated 1993 Cliffhanger starred Stallone, 78, as ranger and climber Gabe Walker. Similarly haunted by his past, Gabe is caught up in a high-octane heist in the Rocky Mountains. The film costarred John Lithgow, Michael Rooker and Janine Turner.

Although filmmaker Ric Roman Waugh confirmed last year that he and Stallone were teaming up for a reboot, the new Cliffhanger evolved from that project and appears to no longer involve either. Per Variety, the new script based on a story by Ana Lily Amirpour will resemble a father-daughter take on Die Hard.

Among Stallone's many upcoming projects are leading the 2025 films Alarum and The Epiphany, and continuing to star on Paramount+ series Tulsa King. James is producing and starring in a yet-to-be-titled film inspired by the story of Whitney Wolfe Herd, the founder and former CEO of online dating platform Bumble.