04/11/2024 - The reboot of the 1993 classic is headlined by Lily James, Pierce Brosnan, Nell Tiger Free, Franz Rogowski, Shubham Saraf, Assaad Bouab, Suzy Bemba and Bruno Gouery

Principal photography is underway on the reboot of the 1993 classic Cliffhanger. Last week, the creative team released the first look images of the film shot in Austria’s East Tyrol region of the Lienz Dolomites.

The star-studded cast is led by Lily James (Pam & Tommy, The Iron Claw, Baby Driver [+see also:
trailer
film profile]) and Pierce Brosnan (The Thomas Crown Affair, GoldenEye, Black Adam).

The feature is helmed by Jaume Collet-Serra, whose box office hits include Non-Stop [+see also:
trailer
making of
film profile], The Shallows and Run All Night, among others. This high-adrenaline action-thriller is based on a story by Ana Lily Amirpour.

In this reboot of Cliffhanger, seasoned mountaineer Ray Cooper (Brosnan) and his daughter Sydney run a mountain chalet in the Dolomites. During a weekend trip with a billionaire's son, they are targeted by a gang of kidnappers. Ray's older daughter Naomi (James), still haunted by a past climbing accident, witnesses the attack and escapes. To save her family, she must confront her fears and fight for survival in the Italian Dolomites.

Additional cast members include Nell Tiger Free (The First Omen, Servant), Franz Rogowski (Passages [+see also:
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trailer
film profile], Disco Boy [+see also:
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trailer
interview: Giacomo Abbruzzese
film profile], Great Freedom [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Sebastian Meise
film profile]), Shubham Saraf (Shantaram and Criminal), Assaad Bouab (Franklin, Bad Sisters), Suzy Bemba (Poor Things [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Suzy Bemba
Q&A: Yorgos Lanthimos
film profile], Homecoming [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Catherine Corsini
interview: Suzy Bemba
film profile]) and Bruno Gouery (The White Lotus, Emily in Paris, Modi).

Filming will later continue in the Penzing Studios near Munich, Bavaria, and will wrap in Italy.

"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,” said Collet-Serra.

Producing are Lars Sylvest of Thank You Pictures (with offices in Denmark, Iceland, Germany and the USA), Joe Neurauter of Supernix (Germany), Thorsten Schumacher of Rocket Science (UK), and Neal Moritz and Toby Jaffe.

Amirpour and Collet-Serra are serving as the executive producers with Josef Brandmaier, Jeff Most, Katy Most, Matthew Stedman of Level Field Media Finance (USA), and Philipp Kreuzer of Supernix.

Chance Wright, of Wright Productions (USA), and Gianluca Chakra and Hisham Alghanim, of Front Row Entertainment (AE), are co-investors and executive producers. 

Other executive producers include Kwesi Dickson and Jay Taylor of Electric Shadow (UK), Rodrigo Tarazona of MTG (Spain), Robert Daly Jr. and David Lipper of Latigo Films (USA), Kevan van Thompson of Capfilms (Czech Republic), and Lily James and Gala Gordon of Parodos Productions (UK). Hungary’s Hero Squared, Jonathan Halperyn and Daniel Kresmery are co-producing along with Jazmyn Tanski.

Cliffhanger is a co-production with production partners in Spain, Germany, Austria, Italy, Hungary and the UK supported by FilmFernsehFonds Bavaria, the German Federal Film Fund DFFF2, Fisa+, the Cine Tirol Film Commission, the IDM Film Commission South Tyrol, Spanish Tax Incentives and the Hungarian rebate. Media Guarantors, a CAC Group company, is providing the completion bond.

The film will have a theatrical release with Rocket Science handling international sales, and CAA Media Finance repping North American and Chinese rights. Rocket Science has a partnership agreement with StudioCanal for the film's rights.